The NBA's two 0-7 teams met Thursday night in Vancouver. The Suns went back to Phoenix 0-8 and with a new coach. The Grizzlies came to Salt Lake City minus the monkey that's ridden their backs.
Despite their earning win No. 1, however, the Grizzlies - even by second-year standards - have been a disappointment. With two first-round picks, including No. 3 pick Shareef Abdur-Rahim, and some decent free-agent acquisitions, Vancouver was expected to exceed last season's 15-win total. So far, that goal seems remote."I'm not surprised that we've struggled early," said Stu Jackson, Vancouver general manager. "I'm surprised of the way we're struggling. I would just say we're not playing with force. We aren't playing very confident."
A key to the Grizzlies' early-season failure has been second-year center Bryant "Big Country" Reeves. Like Jazz center Greg Ostertag, who was a rival of Reeves in college, "Big Country" came to camp in less than ideal condition, suffered a minor injury (hamstring) and has been playing himself into shape.
"For us, one of the problems is that we're not getting enough offense in the interior right now," said Grizzlies point guard Greg Anthony. "Country's hurt . . . and that's affecting him a great deal, and in turn affecting us because we rely so heavily on him."
Grizzlies coach Brian Winters acknowledges that Reeves has been sluggish.
"It's not easy to get him the ball," he said. "When he gets it they surround him . . . He's just going to have to somehow get on track. Somewhere along the line he's going to have to get a little more active. One night he'll break out of it and he'll get on about his business, but for now he's struggling."
Reeves doesn't deserve all the blame, however. The Grizzlies simply aren't shooting well. Of their top eight scorers, none was shooting better than 42.9 percent from the field prior to Thursday's game. The team field-goal percentage was 39.4. Considering the Jazz - Vancouver's opponent tonight at the Delta Center - are holding opponents to sub-40 percent shooting from the field, chances are the Grizzlies aren't looking at improving their shooting percentages soon.
"You get 'em in the right places and you get the right shot and they don't go in," Winters said. "I can't make baskets for them."
The rookies are among those suffering shooting woes. Abdur-Rahim is firing away at a 38.5-percent clip, Roy Rogers at a little above 40 percent (but 50 percent from the free-throw line).
Winters expects Rahim's numbers to improve - eventually, and not at the expense of the team concept.
"What's going to happen is his shot selection is going to improve with time and experience and knowledge of the game," the coach said. "But if he's shooting a very low percentage and were not getting the ball to people who need the ball in particular places at certain times, then it defeats what were trying to accomplish in becoming a better team."
Rahim isn't even starting at this point. Vancouver's current starting lineup consists of Reeves, Anthony, Rogers, ex-Laker Anthony Peeler at shooting guard, and former Jazzman Blue Edwards at small forward (making him probably the shortest starting small forward in the league). Top reserves are Abdur-Rahim, Lynch and Lee Mayberry.
GAME NOTES: Ostertag said he still looks forward to lining up against Reeves, who was a star at Oklahoma State while the Jazz starter was at Kansas. "It's still a big game for me, because we had such a lot of good battles," Ostertag said. Reeves' former college teammate, Jazz guard Brooks Thompson, asked which center was better, said, "Country." Then he reconsidered and said, "Country was better in college, because he was my teammate. Greg's better now, because he's my teammate."