Dec. 8, 2010; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Memphis Grizzlies forward (22) Rudy Gay , forward (50) Zach Randolph and forward (00) Darrell Arthur against the Phoenix Suns at the US Airways Center. Memphis defeated Phoenix 104-98 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-US PRESSWIRE

Memphis Grizzlies
Record: 41-25
Offensive rating: 104.0 — 19th
Defensive rating: 101.8 — 7th
Pace: 90.8 — 18th
eFG%: 47.3% — 24th
Defensive eFG%: 48.5% — 11th

Burning question: Should Memphis trade Rudy Gay?
Former Memphis Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley insisted that the team was not shopping around Rudy Gay prior to the NBA Draft. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, there is a developing market for Gay.

    Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley told the Memphis Commercial-Appeal that Gay, who will make $16.4     million next season, is not being shopped. Still, the Warriors, Charlotte, Toronto and Brooklyn all contacted     Memphis about Gay’s availability, according to league sources.

Gay is only 25-years-old so it seems shortsighted of Memphis to consider trading him before he enters the prime of his career. The problem is his contract: Gay has approximately $53.7 million left on his contract (AAV: $17.9 million). They vastly overpaid for a good but not elite player. The effects of an ill-advised contract could have drastic consequences in the near future.

Their core is good enough to make a deep run in the playoffs. The only thing holding them back is the salary cap. Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph command $123.6 million over the next three years as well. If Memphis wants to continue their success and give themselves the best opportunity to improve their team, trading Gay is the best option. The No. 2 overall pick doesn’t seem like a bad consolation; an NBA ready Robinson or a developing professional in Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. They probably won’t produce like Gay but the difference in salaries could make that insignificant. Memphis needs to start finding more cost-effective options or risk breaking up their core.

Player(s) to watch: Darrell Arthur/Marreese Speights
The Grizzlies received little from their bench aside from O.J. Mayo. Hence the incentive to plant Zach Randolph on the bench while he rehabilitated from his torn MCL injury. Collectively, they averaged 29.9 points per game, good for 19th. As a result, Mike Conley, Marc Gasol and Rudy Gay logged 35+ minutes per game. Darrell Arthur tore his Achilles prior to the regular season. His season ended prematurely and a valuable cog to Memphis’ rotation never was allowed to contribute.

Why was Arthur so important? He was their primary big man off the bench, providing valuable floor spacing and defensive flexibility. His 41 percent mark from outside the paint made him a valuable pick-and-pop weapon. Not only that he gave Gasol and Randolph a reprieve from banging on the interior, a role that Marreese Speights attempted to duplicate this season. The difference between Speights and Arthur was negligible so Speights’ addition turned out to be a positive.

They both are, however, restricted free agents this year. They are both 24-years-old. The Grizzlies are dangerously close to surpassing the luxury tax line — maybe they go that route now that Robert Pera has purchased the team — and seem to be in a quandary (unless they re-sign both). Do they take a risk and re-sign Arthur for a discounted rate or side with Speights who succeeded in his role last season?

Important statistic: Memphis’ pick-and-roll offense.
Memphis defeats their opposition by forcing their opponents into tough decisions. Those tough decisions usually lead to turnovers — opponents turned the ball over on 16.3% of their possessions against them — which Memphis capitalizes on, scoring 1.14 points per possession in transition, good for 13th.

Their offense, however, doesn’t sufficiently provide enough production to support a tenacious defense. In comparison to other Western Conference powers — ie: Oklahoma City, San Antonio — Memphis is strikingly deficient when they run pick-and-rolls. The Grizzlies’ ball handler score 0.70 PPP (27th) while 37.3% shooting from the field, both marks that are simply unacceptable in this league. They’ve hit the roll man on about a third of their possessions with little success either, ranking 25th. For reference, the New Orleans Hornets’ ball handlers averaged 0.85 PPP. This discrepancy is significant because, over 1000 possessions, it represents a 150 point difference.

It would appear that with Mike Conley and Marc Gasol as prominent players in the rotation, both posted above-average numbers running the pick-and-roll, Memphis has a foundation for an efficient offensive attack. That’s not the case. Another reason why the pick-and-roll is so important? They play the Spurs four times a year (and potentially more). San Antonio gave up the most points per possession to opposing ball handlers. This is an area that they should improve on.

Memphis was just as ready for San Antonio, though. Both teams from the get-go tried working in to the paint, and for the most part, Memphis had an answer for everything San Antonio fired at them. Tony Parker made life hell for Mike Conley and the Memphis back court. Parker was attacking the rim, and weaving his way through the skyscrapers in the middle. Parker finished with 13 points and nine assists.

However, Rudy Gay and OJ Mayo stepped up to the plate, and for a while, the Grizzlies looked like they were ready to run away with the game. A 13-0 Memphis run put the road team in good position, but in the last 40 seconds of the half, a Boris Diaw trey and, on the next possession, Diaw cleaned up a missed layup from Stephen Jackson. Diaw scored five points in 15 seconds, putting the Spurs within four.

It was the break San Antonio desperately needed, and as an added bonus, the hometown crowd got back in the game. Fired up and hoping to end the losing streak, an unlikely member of the Big Three was the game-changer.

When the Spurs need a scorer, fans automatically think Parker of Manu Ginobili. However, reminiscent of a Spurs team from a decade ago, Tim Duncan fought fire with fire.

Apr 12, 2012; San Antonio, TX, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Tim Duncan (21) takes a shot over Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol (right) during the second half at the AT

If the Grizzlies were going to feed it to the low block, then Duncan was going to show he isn’t considered the best power forward of all-time for no reason.

Duncan put in 12 of his 28 points in the third quarter by doing the simple things. Duncan consistently made the fundamentally sound play tonight which is a vaguely familiar sight for Spurs fans. Simply making the right play has attributed to his successful 15 year career more than anything.

Memphis made one last push in the fourth, but the Spurs were not fazed by the late comeback and put away the Grizzlies, 107-97.

This win truly is a huge reason critics should rethink their position on Duncan. In a physical, aggressive outing with Memphis, old man Duncan held his own. Zach Randolph got his, but the Spurs stood strong; not allowing Memphis to push them around.

The Spurs crashed the boards just as well as Memphis, and the Spurs hit enough triples to compensate for opportunities missed due to a stingy Memphis defense capable of forcing turnovers.

San Antonio’s reward for bouncing back after two disappointing losses will be a day off Friday. San Antonio will return to action, in front of a national audience, against the Phoenix Suns Saturday night. It will be a later tip time than usual at the AT&T Center, and will be the Spurs’ second-to-last game with the Suns this season.

Game notes.
Tim Duncan (28 points, 12 rebounds) posted his sixth 20-10 night of the season … Duncan blocked another two shots; his seventh consecutive game with two-plus blocks … Duncan went 8-of-11 at the line, his second higest total of the season The Spurs turned the ball over 18 times … they did, however, score 23 points off 15 Grizzlies turnovers … Manu Ginobili scored 20 points in 29:33, including a sparkling 11-of-11 from the free throw line … In 22:07, Matt Bonner posted a team-high plus-22 despite 1-of-6 shooting from 3 … Bonner earned more minutes than Blair, Diaw and Splitter … The Spurs shot 26-for-31 from the line; marking their fourth game with at least 25 converted free throws … Tony Parker (13 points, nine assists) nearly notched his 11th double-double of the season despite converting on 45.8 percent of his shots (free throws included) … San Antonio made 59.7 percent of all their shots compared to 50.1 percent for Memphis … The Grizzlies grabbed 11 offensive rebounds; they’ve done so 42 times this year .. Memphis only assisted on 41.7 of their baskets … In 28:07, Zach Randolph recorded his fifth double-double (10 points, 11 rebounds) as a reserve … Marc Gasol’s efficient night: he shot 5-of-8 from the field, and posted his 24th double-double of the season (14 points, 10 rebounds) … Gasol also added five personal fouls, tied his career-high of four steals while dishing out three assists …