Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay has been in the NBA for three years, and he's on his fourth coach. No wonder this year has been tough on Gay, who hasn't made the jump in improvement he did last season.
"It's difficult learning different styles and coaching philosophies," Gay said. "Playing basketball is the easy part. I want to say (the coaching changes) have affected me. But how good I am in this league is all on me. All I want to do is get better." Gay entered the league under Mike Fratello, played more than half a season for Grizzlies executive Tony Barone, spent just over a year with Marc Iavaroni and is now coached by Lionel Hollins, who was a Grizzlies assistant when Gay was a rookie.
Hollins has been trying to get Gay to become a better defender and rebounder, with wiser shot selection. Since Jan. 27, Gay has averaged nearly seven rebounds and just over 20 points while shooting almost 48 percent.
"When you have a lot of different coaches in such a short period, like with Rudy, you do get turned around a little bit mentally," Hollins said. "I just want him to focus, run the court and play the defense we want. Everything else will come, because he's a talented kid."
CAVALIERS 94, GRIZZLIES 79: The Grizzlies never really showed for the first game of a back-to-back trip. Rookie guard O.J. Mayo got in early foul trouble, and the Grizzlies rolled over. They trailed by 22 at the half and it was like a night off for Cavs star LeBron James, who scored 15, passed the ball a lot and sat out the entire fourth quarter. Rudy Gay and Hakim Warrick scored 13 points inconsequential points each for the Griz, who never were remotely in this game. It was a fifth straight loss for the Grizzlies, now 4-9 under new coach Lionel Hollins.
