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MARVELOUS MEMPHIS

There won’t be a better story in the NBA this season than the Memphis Grizzlies. Not the next world champions, not the league MVP, not even LeBron James.

If you truly love the NBA, seasons like the one had by the Grizzlies are the biggest reasons why.

Here’s a team that had stunk it up since its inception, a franchise that failed miserably in Vancouver and was beginning to make the Los Angeles Clippers look like they knew what they were doing.

So the Grizzlies moved to Memphis, which seemed to make even less sense than using a first-round draft pick on Bryant “Big Country” Reeves (something the Grizzlies did in 1995). Basically, whenever a good choice needed to be made, the Grizzlies were certain to take a pass.

Then owner Michael Heisley begged Hall-of-Fame player and gifted executive Jerry West to run the team. After some serious prodding, West accepted the offer, and immediately coaxed then-69-year old Hubie Brown out of his cushy TV analyst job to coach. When I first heard about the West-Brown connection, I immediately thought, “Well, I always knew Memphis was nice, but I had no idea people went there to retire.”

More than anything, I thought it was a shame that two respected basketball men such as West and Brown would go to Memphis, where they would surely lose all credibility.

But all they did was prove that professional basketball still has a soul -- that when things are done the right way at the top, success will follow on the court.

In just two years, West and Brown led Memphis to its first 50-win season and playoff appearance. In the process, they converted an extremely apathetic fan base, something Brown pointed out after the Grizzlies were swept by defending champion San Antonio in the first round of the playoffs last week.

Yes, the Grizzlies lost four straight, and really only had a chance of to win one. The other three games were blowouts. But that didn’t stop the Grizzlies’ sellout crowd from giving its team a standing ovation after the season’s final buzzer.

It didn’t stop Brown from blowing kisses to the stands after the final game, and it didn’t stop every member of the Spurs from offering hugs and words of praise to Brown and his team when the series was over.

This type of family atmosphere isn’t what professional sports are supposed to be about -- but they are what sports are supposed to be about. They are what the Memphis Grizzlies are about, and more NBA teams should follow their lead.

The thing that sets the Grizzlies apart is they make it clear that the coach is the boss -- period. There’s never any questioning of authority, never any complaining to press about your lack of playing time. Brown is a brilliant basketball mind, and the Grizzlies simply allow him to coach. Managing bad attitudes isn’t part of his job description.

It’s true that West and Brown have a roster filled with quality people, from Shane Battier to James Posey to Stromile Swift to Pau Gasol. But Brown also has a few one-time questionable characters in Jason Williams and Bonzi Wells. I say “one-time” because both Williams and Wells cleaned up their acts considerably once they learned who was in charge. And both became better pros because of it.

As Brown once said of Williams, “I don’t need to worry about what he thinks of me. He needs to worry about what I think of him.”

In an NBA where a coach can lead his team to two straight Finals appearances and still get fired (New Jersey’s Byron Scott), Brown’s rule of his bench is refreshing.

The Grizzlies may not be hoisting the Larry O’Brien trophy at season’s end, and they still have to conquer a playoff series before we can get too excited.

But this is a franchise that is doing things the right way and being rewarded. For true fans like us, that’s as gratifying as it gets.

RANDOM STUFF

-- If you’re a young guard who wants to learn the right way to play the game, you can start by watching Nets point guard Jason Kidd. He always dribbles with his head up while eyeing the entire floor, and is forever looking to get his teammates involved in the offense. In fact, it seems the only reason Kidd shoots is to keep opposing defenses honest. I especially love those perfect bounce passes Kidd throws off the dribble. It looks so simple, but I recommend that you go to the gym and try it for yourself. It’s not so easy.

-- Yes, the Western Conference has a second-round dandy in Los Angeles-San Antonio, the two teams that have combined to win the previous five NBA championships. But I’m equally looking forward to New Jersey vs. Detroit. It is easily the best second-round series the East has seen in a long, long time. One of the reasons I say this is because I have no idea who will win. You probably have to give the edge to the Pistons, but only because they have the home court. Then again, the Nets have been to the past two Finals. Best of all will be the matchups, namely Detroit’s Rasheed Wallace vs. Martin, and Kidd vs. Chauncey Billups -- who’s having the best season of his career.

-- How about this trade possibility: Orlando’s Tracy McGrady to Phoenix for Shawn Marion, Joe Johnson, and the Suns’ No. 1 pick? I usually blow off rumored trades, because they typically are just that -- rumors. But according to some insiders, this one could actually happen over the summer.

-- Hiring Doc Rivers was the first step to recovery for the Boston Celtics. Rivers is a company guy and a players’ coach, and he should straighten out what was slowly becoming a chaotic mess. This is an organization desperately in need of a voice of reason, and Rivers will fill the role well.

-- Charles Barkley on Celtics guard Ricky Davis: “Until he learns how to play within a system, Ricky Davis won’t be a good fit for ANYBODY’S team.”

-- The Minnesota Timberwolves are starting to look like a champion. I’m not saying the Wolves will win it all … but I sure think they could. They’ve been rebounding and moving the ball extremely well, and like most title-contending teams, the Wolves are making big stands on defense. They’re also one of the few teams that can consistently knock down the mid-range jump shot, as no one is better at it than Sam Cassell. Kevin Garnett is probably second.

-- One way to tell if a guy is a good coach or not? The answer is, if his team gets a good look at the basket following a timeout. New York’s Lenny Wilkens is a master of this. As for Dallas’ Don Nelson … well, the Mavericks had a chance to win Games 4 and 5 of their first-round matchup against Sacramento, but instead threw up a couple of bad shots after a timeout to lose both games and the series.

-- Not that any of the above matters, since I predict that Pat Riley will be the Mavs’ coach next season.

-- If it were up to me, TNT’s Dick Stockton would call every national NBA telecast. The guy is everything play-by-play men should strive to be, as Stockton never gets too excited, yet never puts you to sleep. Of course, my partiality towards Stockton may have something to do with the fact he was CBS’ No. 1 announcer during the NBA’s Golden Years of the 1980s.

-- Cleveland will reportedly make a strong run at Seattle free-agent guard Brent Barry, whose outside shooting and leadership would be a plus for any team.

-- Not too often do NBA players run into the stands to hug fans after a big playoff win. But that’s exactly what the guys from Skipper Bologna did after capturing their first-ever Final Four game at the Euroleague Championships in Tel Aviv, Israel. Awesome stuff. By the way, you can watch the Euroleague title game May 1 at 2:30 p.m. EST on NBA TV.

-- Finally, the Black College All-Star Game will be held at Cleveland’s Gund Arena on May 1. If you’re in the area, I urge you to check it out. You won’t see most of these kids in the NBA anytime soon, as most hit the books as hard as they do the boards. In other words, they’re future doctors, dentists, and leaders of this country who exemplify everything college athletics SHOULD be about. And, yes, they can play some ball.

-- Florida A&M’s Terrence Woods is one guy in the All-Star game who could get drafted. He’s a 6-foot-3 guard and has been the nation’s most prolific 3-point shooter the past two seasons, drawing comparisons to Steve Kerr. Woods said, “Shooting is a lost art. Everyone wants to dunk and do other things, but shooting is my strength.” Keep an eye out for this young man.

READER FEEDBACK

Q: From Dennis Markwardt (Findlay, Ohio): I know you’ve written entire newsletters on how to improve the NBA, but if you could only pick one thing, what would it be?

A: Dear Dennis, get rid of the 3-point line. I just think it’s a useless gimmick that disrupts offenses across the world at every level. Basketball survived for a long, long time without it, and it’s become little more than a way for guys to force up bad shots. And I’m not picking on Terrence Woods here, either. After all, my game consists of nothing but standing behind the arc and frantically waving my arms like I’m trying to chase down a cab.

Q: From Billy Kyser (Boston): How do you think this lineup of 34-and-over players would fare in an entire season: C Dikembe Mutombo; F Karl Malone; F Christian Laettner; G Gary Payton; G Sam Cassell; with Kevin Willis, Stacey Augmon, Mark Jackson and Rod Strickland off the bench?

A: Dear Billy, if that team played in the Eastern Conference, I think it could win 40-plus games and go deep into the playoffs. I love the concept, though. Let’s call the Charlotte Bobcats and make it happen!

Q: From Brimar Adalsteinsson (Reykjavík, Iceland): I have been following your newsletter for the past season and I am intrigued by the discussion of age limits for the NBA. I agree that the flood of teenagers into the league is lowering the overall quality of play, but I don’t think it is legally possible to set an age limit -- 18-year olds should have a chance to earn a living, and if you can play professional tennis as a teenager, why not basketball? So, here’s what I suggest: Make rookie contracts for players younger than 20 only partially guaranteed. That is, give the team an option on each of the player’s first three years. That way, if a player is not working hard enough or not showing the expected progress, a team can cut its losses after the season. This should help motivate the teenagers drafted, and scare those less talented away from early entry and into college.

A: Dear Brimar, thanks for the insight. It’s definitely something to think about.

Q: From Peter Hinze (Seattle): With all due respect to TNT, if I ever hear "11 p.m., it's Albert and Ben" again, I think I'll have to throw an old TV through the McDonald’s drive-through window. Enough already!!!

A: Dear Peter, you’re obviously referring to that annoying McDonald’s commercial that promotes staying out partying all night, which is continuously aired during NBA games on TNT. I always thought McDonald’s was supposed to be a family restaurant -- but how often do parties that last until 5 a.m., as the commercial depicts, result in anything but regret?

USBL STUFF

-- Jimmie Hunter of Adirondack leads the United States Basketball League in scoring at 30.8 points per game through six games. Dodge City’s Reed Rawlins (24.1 ppg.), Brooklyn’s Mike Campbell (24.0), Westchester’s Fred Williamson (23.2), and Brevard’s Nate Burton (22.0) round out the top five.

-- Other names you may know on USBL rosters: Chris Porter, Oklahoma (11.0 rpg.); Jerry Holman, Pennsylvania (10.8 rpg.); Dean Oliver, Cedar Rapids (20.3 ppg.); Joe Crispin, Pennsylvania (5.4 apg.); Quincy Wadley, Pennsylvania (2.8 spg.); Maurice Jeffers, Kansas (90 percent FT shooting); and Gyasi Cline-Heard, Adirondack (2.5 bpg.).

-- Former NBA players Brent Price or Shawn Kemp have yet to score a point for the Oklahoma Storm. Kemp hasn’t played, and Price has played 12 minutes and has yet to attempt a shot.

CONTACT ME

You can e-mail your thoughts to me at amicoreport@hotmail.com. You must include your full name to be considered for publication. Also, please include your hometown, as I love to see where the e-mails are coming from.

HAVE A GREAT DAY!