Rudy Gay: ‘The Sky’s the Limit’ for Memphis Grizzlies in the Playoffs

An injured shoulder kept Rudy Gay out of Memphis’ incredible Playoff run last season, but he’s healthy this time around, and sees no reason his Grizzlies can’t repeat last year’s feat (and then some.) From the Commercial Appeal: “The Memphis Grizzlies clinched a second-straight trip to the playoffs Wednesday night by defeating the New Orleans Hornets, 103-91. And if it wasn’t exactly a surprising development for Gay and company, it was satisfying, just the same. ‘No question,’ said Gay. ‘This is why you play. We know where we’re going to be in two weeks. We don’t take that for granted at all.’ Gay, of course, would be the last person to take it for granted. He missed last year’s playoff run after shoulder surgery. While Z-Bo and the Grizzlies upset the San Antonio Spurs in the playoffs, Gay tried his best to pretend he was thrilled. Inside, he was aching. Of course he was. ‘I might as well have bought a ticket last year,’ he said. ‘That’s the honest truth.’ So this time around, he’s become the ticket. ‘(Rudy) has been fabulous,’ said Griz coach Lionel Hollins. ‘He’s rebounded, he’s defended, he’s passed the ball and made plays for other people and scored.’ […] Last year was about making the playoffs. Last year was about winning a single playoff game. Last year, was about winning a series. What a miracle! What a run! This year is about something completely different. Hollins talked about it openly after the game. ‘As I told the team, it’s a wide-open season,’ he said. ‘It’s wide-open for anybody to win the championship. As I told you guys when I got hired, I was asked why I should be the head coach. ‘Why not?’ ‘It’s the same thing I said to the team. ‘Why not us win the championship?’ ‘It was a remarkable question for the coach of the Memphis Grizzlies to be asking. It was a reasonable one, too. Why not take a run at the whole thing this season? Why not dream big? At the very least, we know the Grizzlies will be back in the fray, back in the arena, back in the frenzied world that is the NBA postseason. ‘I know I’m looking forward to it,’ said Gay. ‘The sky’s the limit for us.’”