Fizdale calls on Grizzlies to 'step up' leadership
The Memphis Grizzlies are a ship without a captain, and all first-year head coach David Fizdale wants is for someone to grab the wheel and set the team back on course.
"Right now, I'm really down on our leadership," Fizdale said following Memphis' disheartening 112-109 overtime loss to the Boston Celtics on Tuesday night, according to ESPN's Tim MacMahon. "Our huddles are like tombs right now. Nobody wants to step up and lead this group now during this tough time. I'm going to keep demanding it and see who's going to rise to the challenge."
The Grizzlies led by as many as 17 points, carrying a 45-31 lead into the halftime break. Everything fell apart once the game resumed, though, with Boston outscoring them 66-52 in the final two quarters to force an extra period.
As Fizdale so eloquently puts it afterward, his players basically "stayed in the locker room at halftime," becoming complacent with a giant lead rather than putting the proverbial nail in the Celtics' coffin.
Center Marc Gasol, one of the Grizzlies' actual captains, had nothing more to add to his coach's critical assessment.
"None," Gasol said.
"You're asking for my reaction; I said none. He thinks that, we've got to be better, and that's it. No reaction."
The return of point guard Mike Conley to the starting lineup hasn't brought his team much good fortune, dropping all three games since his early return from a vertebrae fracture. The Grizzlies had previously won seven of eight games, including a six-game winning streak.
"I listen to Coach. Whatever he sees, I'm going to work on," Conley added. "At the end of the day, I'm going to look at the film, look at myself in the mirror. I'm going to tell the guys to look in the mirror as well and say, 'Did you give everything you had? Did you lead as best as you could? Did you do things to help the team win?' And get ready for another game tomorrow."
Memphis (18-12) will look to snap out of its losing ways on Wednesday against the Detroit Pistons at the Palace.