Breaking News..Grizzlies Fire Iavaroni

[Indazone]

Report: Grizzlies let go of head coach Iavaroni

By NBA.com staff reports
Posted Jan 22 2009 10:33PM
A source tells TNT's David Aldridge that the Memphis Grizzlies have fired head coach Marc Iavaroni. Assistant coach Johnny Davis will take over the team on an interim basis, the source said.
The Grizzlies are currently on a seven-game losing streak with an 11-30 record. They have lost 15 of their last 17 games and in last place in the Southwest Division. Iavaroni's overall record in Memphis was 33-90.

Iavaroni is a 17-year veteran of the NBA as both a player and coach and was hired as the head coach of the Memphis Grizzlies on May 31, 2007. For Iavaroni, this was his first head coaching position in the league.
Prior to joining the Grizzlies Iavaroni spent the previous five seasons with the Phoenix Suns, during which time they made four trips to the NBA Playoffs, including two appearances in the Western Conference Finals. Over the course of the five seasons Iavaroni spent with the Suns, the team compiled an impressive regular season record of 250-160 (.610).

Interim head coach Davis has over 30 years of NBA experience. He was head coach of the Philadelphia 76ers for the the 1996-97 campaign (22-60) before joining the Grizzlies as an assistant coach.
Iavaroni's firing makes him the seventh NBA head coach to be fired this season. Reggie Theus, Sam Mitchell, Maurice Cheeks, Eddie Jordan, Randy Wittman and P.J. Carlesimo were also let go by their organizations.


Knew this would go down. That offense of his was absolutely painful to watch as was his nonexistant defensive schemes.

[Armando]

Shocking

[mardigan]

Mayo should take over coaching duties.

[Indazone]

Mayo? lol that would be the blind leading the deaf and clueless.

[JamStone]

I thought the Grizzlies were playing relatively well this season considering their talent, depth, and youth.

[ManuTP9]

LMAO nothing shocking, it was bound to happen to him i mean after all the other coaches getting fired, it was bound to happen to him and he knew it probably.

[Indazone]

The Grizzlies are really inconsistent at the Guard position. Everyone outside of OJ Mayo is expendable. The rest of their guards just plain suck.

[m33p0]

took them long enough.

[mogrovejo]

I thought the Grizzlies were playing relatively well this season considering their talent, depth, and youth.

The most stagnant, boring, simplistic and uninspiring offense I've seen in the NBA for ages. Spread offense my ass. And the way he slowed down the pace to make it look like they were playing defence, although everybody was clearly clueless about what to do. Terrible.

This may be very good news for lots of their players, except the ball-hogs.

A very happy day for basketball and fans of the game.

[Lp26]

Not really surprising. After Gasol calling their style "running around like chickens with their heads cut off", and Gay's comments something was bound to happen.

[Biggems]

They have a nice young group over there.......Larry Brown or Stan Van Gundy would be excellent to coach that team....unfortunately for the Grizz......both are currently employed.

[BUMP]

two words


















































































































Avery Johnson

[Findog]

Avery's not getting off the couch and throwing away Cuban's millions for a rebuilding lottery team. I doubt he coaches next year either unless one of the elite teams comes calling...and I doubt that will happen. Who knows, he might take over for Pop when he retires. If Avery can regain some humility and not be so damn stubborn, he could easily be a great coach in this league. He just needs to let go a little bit and realize he's not the starting PG anymore. He did great things in Dallas and accomplished a lot. His hubris and stubbornness is what led to his downfall with the Mavericks.

[Indazone]

More breaking news...and the new coach of the Memphis Grizzlies is.....big drumroll.


Hollins will coach Griz (http://www.thememphisedge.com/2009/01/22/hollins-will-coach-griz/)

Posted by Ronald Tillery (http://www.thememphisedge.com/author/rtillery/)
http://commercialappeal-web.com/edge/wp-content/uploads/authors/25.jpg (http://www.thememphisedge.com/?author=25)Former Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins, now an assistant with the Milwaukee Bucks, will be named Marc Iavaroni’s successor this weekend, a source with knowledge of the organization’s plans just told me.
Hollins plans to bring with him as assistants former Philadelphia head coach Maurice Cheeks and former Los Angeles Clippers coach Barry Hecker, according to the team insider.
Griz assistant coach Johnny Davis will take over temporarily for the next two games. Memphis plays tonight at New York and Saturday against New Jersey at home.

uhhhhhh....

[j-money24]

maybe chris wallace though they would contend for a playoff berth.

[MarHill]

I thought the Grizzlies were playing relatively well this season considering their talent, depth, and youth.

I agree, Jamstone

I thought they would give him a chance to develop that team.

Oops...I guess not! It's pro sports (I keep forgetting)

:flag:

[sa_butta]

Sources: Johnson turns down Grizzlies

Avery Johnson (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=390) has turned down the chance to make a swift return to an NBA bench with the Memphis Grizzlies (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=mem).
NBA coaching sources told ESPN.com on Friday that the former Dallas Mavericks (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=dal) coach was offered a five-year contract by the Grizzlies to replace Marc Iavaroni, who was fired late Thursday after 1½ seasons in Memphis.
Johnson, though, elected to pass on an in-season comeback, preferring to remain in his new role as a studio analyst for ESPN.
"I've said all along [that] at the right time and in the right situation, I will coach again," Johnson said Friday. "I am enjoying my time at ESPN and with my family. I think an awful lot of [Grizzlies owner] Michael Heisley and [general manager] Chris Wallace. I wish the Grizzlies the very best."

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=3855045

[Darrin]

What is shocking is the coaching talent they have on that bench. Johnny Davis and Mo Cheeks are assistants for Lionel Hollins. The only game I have ever seen the Grizzlies play, Hollins was coach (March 17, 2000).