The Memphis Grizzlies are expected to open the regular season Dec. 26 on the road against the San Antonio Spurs, according to a draft of the team’s 66-game schedule obtained by The Commercial Appeal.

Memphis’ home opener would be Dec. 28 against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The league will officially announce the schedule Tuesday night on NBATV.

But don’t expect to see LeBron James and the Miami Heat or Kevin Garnett’s Boston Celtics in FedExForum this season. According to the draft, the Griz would only play Boston (Feb. 5) and Miami (April 6) on the road. Memphis has three games against Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers with only one meeting scheduled for FedExForum, on March 13.

The Griz will play 48 games against Western Conference foes and 18 against Eastern Conference opponents.

Although the Griz will play each East team at least once, they are expected to see Detroit, Toronto and Chicago twice.

Chicago will visit Jan. 16 for a noon tip-off in the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day game. The Griz will also host Orlando (Jan. 1) and New York (Jan. 12).

The defending NBA champion Dallas Mavericks’ first visit to FedExForum will be Feb. 29.

Memphis has three separate four-game road trips. The team’s longest home stand is five games from March 6-14. The Grizzlies’ are set to end the regular season April 26 at Toronto.

There’s a new Change.org petition urging the Memphis Grizzlies to film a video for the “It Gets Better” campaign.

“It Gets Better,” launched by Seattle newsweekly editor Dan Savage, features YouTube videos of celebrities reassuring LGBT youth that life improves over time. The campaign began in response to the rash of gay teen suicides last year.

Plenty of well-known celebs, such as Ke$ha, Tim Gunn, Colin Farrell, and Sarah Silverman, have lent their images to the campaign. Even President Barack Obama has an “It Gets Better” video. And recently, several professional sports teams, like the San Francisco Giants and the Boston Red Sox, have made films.

Local LGBT activist Michael Hildebrand started the Change.org petition asking the Grizzlies to star in their own “It Gets Better” video. Click here to sign.

To get an idea of what a Grizzlies video might look like, check out this one with the Chicago Cubs.

IN THE NEWS

City to honor Grizzlies coach

The city of Memphis will honor Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins today for his role in leading the NBA team to its most successful playoff run in franchise history.

Hollins will be honored at today’s City Council meeting with a formal proclamation by Mayor A C Wharton and City Council chairman Myron Lowery.

The Grizzlies upset the No. 1 seeded San Antonio Spurs and pushed Oklahoma City to seven games before ultimately losing in the Western Conference semifinals. The Grizzlies went 5-1 in front of six consecutive sellout crowds at FedExForum in Memphis during that run.

Since becoming Memphis’ coach on Jan. 25, 2009, Hollins has guided the team to a 99-104 record, eclipsing Mike Fratello as the franchise’s all-time winningest coach.

Trojans stripped of 2004 BCS title

The Bowl Championship Series stripped Southern California of its 2004 title on Monday, leaving that season without a BCS champion.

The announcement was no surprise after the Trojans were hit with heavy NCAA sanctions last year for rules violations committed during the 2004 and ’05 seasons, including that star tailback Reggie Bush received improper extra benefits during those seasons and was ineligible when he played.

In another development, former Southern California assistant coach Todd McNair sued the NCAA, accusing the collegiate governing body of libel, slander and misconduct in its investigation of Bush case. McNair is seeking unspecified damages from the NCAA in the lawsuit that was filed Friday.

McNair was was prohibited from contacting recruits by the NCAA for his role in the scandal surrounding the Heisman Trophy-winning tailback and his contract was not renewed by Southern Cal.

Autos

NASCAR has fined team owner Richard Childress $150,000 and placed him on probation through the end of the year for his altercation with driver Kyle Busch. Childress approached Busch following Saturday’s Trucks race at Kansas Speedway and apparently punched him several times. The car owner was upset that Busch had bumped into Joey Coulter on the cool-down lap after the race. … Tony Stewart released Bobby Hutchens as director of competition at Stewart-Haas Racing and promoted Matt Borland to vice president of competition.

Colleges

Ohio State President Gordon Gee told The Associated Press that university trustees are looking at compliance issues across the university, not just in the athletic department, after the resignation of football coach Jim Tressel. Said Gee: “Any time there is a mistake, or any time there is an issue that flares up, and we go back through and scrub everything very, very carefully. … We want to make certain that we’re asking all the right questions.”

Ole Miss assistant baseball coach Matt Mossberg has stepped down as hitting coach for the Rebels to pursue other coaching opportunities, head coach Mike Bianco said Monday. Mossberg served as an assistant coach with the Rebels for the past four seasons. … Krista Donnenwirth hit two of Arizona State’s four homers and drove in four runs and the Sun Devils beat Florida, 14-4, in the opening game of the Women’s College World Series finals. Game 2 of the best-of-three series is tonight.

HORSE RACING

Kentucky Derby winner Animal Kingdom put in a sharp final workout before the Belmont Stakes, with trainer Graham Motion saying “it couldn’t have gone any smoother.” Animal Kingdom, with jockey John Velazquez aboard, worked four furlongs in 47.76 seconds over the main dirt track at New York’s Belmont Park on Monday morning. The 3-year-old colt worked in company with another horse. Animal Kingdom and Preakness winner Shackleford top a probable field of 12 for Saturday’s Belmont.

NFL

Former New York Giants star Plaxico Burress was released from prison Monday after spending nearly two years behind bars on a gun charge and headed to Florida to be with his family as he contemplates his chances of playing again in the NFL. “It’s a beautiful day,” Burress told reporters. “It’s a beautiful day to be reunited with my family.” … NFL owners asked a federal court in Minnesota on Monday to dismiss the players’ antitrust lawsuit against the league. The filing was largely a procedural matter, coming on the same day the league’s response to the players’ amended complaint was due.

Former NFL quarterback Archie Manning says his son, Peyton, should recover from neck surgery by the start of the NFL season. Speaking at Jim Kelly‘s charity golf event in Batavia, N.Y., about 40 miles east of Buffalo, Manning told reporters the Colts quarterback is “not where he wants to be” 10 days after surgery and that “hopefully” it will work out. Colts owner Jim Irsay says he expects Manning to be ready for the start of training camp — whenever that is. … Marv Albert is returning to the NFL, joining the NFL on CBS team whenever the lockout ends. The longtime play-by-play announcer worked for NBC Sports from 1977 to 1997 and announced the NFL on NBC for 19 years.

NHL

Andrew Ference and David Krejci each had a goal and an assist during Boston’s four-goal second period, Tim Thomas made 40 saves, and the host Bruins beat the Canucks 8-1 in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup finals on Monday night, trimming Vancouver’s series lead to 2-1. Mark Recchi scored two goals for the Bruins, who turned a big win into a blowout with four more goals in the final 81/2 minutes of the third period. Game 4 is Wednesday in Boston.

– From Our Press Services

With one coaching search complete, the Rockets will open another this week.

Seeking a lead assistant to Kevin McHale to run the defense and help with day-to-day preparations, the Rockets will interview Memphis Grizzlies assistant Dave Joerger this week, a person familiar with the process said. The interview is not yet scheduled.

The Rockets will also consider New Orleans Hornets assistant Michael Malone and Milwaukee Bucks assistant Kelvin Sampson, the individual familiar with the process said. Malone is considered a top candidate to join Mike Brown with the Los Angeles Lakers as a lead assistant. He had been on Brown’s staff in Cleveland before joining Monty Williams in New Orleans this season.

Joerger and Malone were on the initial list of candidates to interview for the Rockets’ head coaching position but were not interviewed before the club chose to consider only candidates with NBA head coaching experience. Sampson was among the first coaching candidates interviewed.

Joerger had led five minor league teams to championships, most recently taking the Dakota Wizards to the 2006-07 NBA Development League championship before moving to the Grizzlies as part of Marc Iavaroni’s staff.

He has been with the Grizzlies for four seasons and was credited for much of the improvement of the Memphis defense this season.

“I think one day he will be a head coach,” said Rockets guard Kyle Lowry, who was with Joeger with the Grizzlies. “I’d love to have him on the Rockets bench.”

Golden State Warriors assistant Jerry Sichting could be a logical choice. A teammate of McHale’s on the Boston Celtics’ 1986 championship team, he was part of the staff during McHale’s coaching stints with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

jonathan.feigen@chron.com  

By Alex Madlangbayan on May 16, 2011 in Basketball, Sports, United States, World • No comments