Memphis coach Lionel Hollins is a hard man to rile, just as he was in his playing days as a starting point guard on the NBA champion Trail Blazers back in Bill Walton's day. Hollins is staying cool about his team's 2-8 start, its worst beginning since 2002-03, when the Grizzlies lost their first 13 games and coach Sidney Lowe was fired. Hollins thinks part of the problem is a tough early-season schedule.
"It's not anything to panic about, it's early," Hollins said. "We've had a tough schedule, and we have to grind it out and get a win. If you go back to the beginning of our season, with 11 of the first 16 (games) on the road, it was going to be difficult. If anybody thought we'd be (much) better than our record at this stage, they're probably drinking something."
Hollins said his team has to stick together.
"You can't point fingers," Hollins said. "You just go and do. If everybody is doing their job, then hopefully you're talented enough to overcome and get some wins. If you're not, then the whole situation has to be re-evaluated."
GRIZZLIES 97, TIMBERWOLVES 87: The Grizzlies finally got balanced scoring, including help from the bench, and broke a seven-game losing streak. Memphis got 21 points and 14 rebounds from its bench, including 15 by rookie Sam Young. Memphis was able to get into its transition game in the third quarter, which has been a bad quarter for the Grizzlies this year.
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