That sound you hear was the hopes of Grizzlies fans to be a real threat in the playoffs deflating.
Rudy Gay, Memphis’ dynamic wing player who signed a max contract last summer, will need season ending shoulder surgery reports the Commercial Appeal. Gay has been out for a month since injuring his shoulder against the Sixers, but a second opinion recently from everyone’s favorite orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews (what, you can name another one off the top of your head?) changed everything.
Gay was the slasher and scorer from the wing that the Grizzlies need to balance out Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol in the paint. He was averaging 19.8 points per game shooting a career-best 47.1 percent this season before the injury.
Memphis has played well without Gay, having gone 8-6, including wins over San Antonio and Oklahoma City. They are currently holding down the eighth playoff spot in the West. But for them to do damage to an elite team in a seven-game series without Gay will be a much, much taller mountain to climb. More like K2.
No date has been set for the surgery. He should be good to go next season (whenever that starts) but will not be part of the Grizzlies playoff run.
