MEMPHIS - Lionel Hollins has been more successful than any Memphis Grizzlies coach and will be a free agent after June 30.
He has the Grizzlies in the NBA Western Conference finals for the first time and has won more games with this team than any other coach.
He probably wouldn’t have a problem getting another job, but is very happy with the one he has. And he’s not worrying about what the future holds.
“I have a job,” Hollins said. “I’m happy with where we are and excited about what we’re doing. That’s my only concern. Everything else is irrelevant.”
New owners took over in November and decided to wait until after the season to see what they had before extending contracts. That has made Hollins a popular potential candidate for other openings.
Memphis needs Hollins’ full postseason attention right now with the Grizzlies down 0-2 heading into Saturday’s Game 3 against San Antonio. They rallied from an 0-2 deficit against the Clippers in the first round, becoming only the 10th team to win four consecutive and the first to win all four by more than 10 points.
The challenge now is tougher because no NBA team has won two series in the same postseason after trailing 0-2.
Center Marc Gasol said Thursday that Hollins’ focus on the task at hand definitely helps the Grizzlies concentrate only on the Spurs right now.
“We know that there’s nothing we can do about it right now,” Gasol said of Hollins’ future in Memphis. “Eventually, that’s going to come, and hopefully, it’s going to be solved quickly after we do what we’re supposed to do.”
Dealing with adversity is nothing new for Hollins. The sixth selection overall in 1975 by Portland remembers having to wait to make sure his check had cleared in a career that included 673 games with five teams. He also has a championship starting for the Trail Blazers in 1977 when they won the NBA title despite starting the finals against the Philadelphia 76ers with an 0-2 deficit themselves.
Hollins started coaching at his alma mater Arizona State before returning to the NBA where he worked at Phoenix. He was an assistant on the original Grizzlies coaching staff as an expansion franchise in Vancouver in 1995 and even served as interim head coach twice before Memphis hired him in January 2009 as the team’s 11th head coach.
“As an assistant coach, I was on a one-year contract that ran out every summer,” Hollins said. “People that have jobs, their contract runs out. You still just have to do what you do while they’re there and while you’re under contract.”
Since being brought back in January 2009, all Hollins has done is help the Grizzlies win a little bit more than they did the season before. He’s turned in his best season yet with a franchise-record 56-26 that includes the most victories at home and on the road.
Hollins starts with defense. As a player, Hollins was on the NBA’s All-Defensive team, and he uses that same defense-first mentality as a coach. Memphis had the league’s best this season holding opponents to 89.3 points a game and 33.5 field goal percentage.
Spurs Coach Gregg Popovich said Hollins put in a consistent system that has been taught well with the Grizzlies buying into the schemes.
“I thought he did one of the best coaching jobs of the season,” Popovich said of Hollins. “He’s been steady, he’s been classy. That’s why they’re in the conference finals. They’ve come together really well. That’s a tribute to him, his staff and the hard work of the players. They come every night with that consistent physical effort, and that’s not easy to do.”
To point guard Mike Conley, Hollins is a mentor and father figure on the court who fought for him to play at a time when team officials considered trading the point guard away back in 2009.
“He’s always been on me about every single little thing I can improve on, and I think that’s just made me better each day knowing that he’s going to point out everything I need to improve on and not sugar coat anything and be honest with me,” Conley said. “And obviously, he gave me the opportunity I have today so I just try to take advantage of it.”
Some of Hollins’ best lessons have been off the court for the Grizzlies.
“That’s what he taught us that basketball is just an aspect of your life,” Gasol said. “It’s real important, but you have to do it the best you can. But you’re working for something bigger.”
Playoffs at a glance
CONFERENCE FINALS
MAY 19 San Antonio 105, Memphis 83
MAY 21 San Antonio 93, Memphis 89, OT
San Antonio leads series 2-0
WEDNESDAY’S GAME
Miami 103, Indiana 102, OT
Miami leads series 1-0
TODAY’S GAME - All times Central
Indiana at Miami, 7:30 p.m.
SATURDAY’S GAME
San Antonio at Memphis, 8 p.m.
SUNDAY’S GAME
Miami at Indiana, 7:30 p.m.
MONDAY’S GAME
San Antonio at Memphis, 8 p.m.
TUESDAY’S GAME
Miami at Indiana, 7:30 p.m.
NBA playoffs
CONFERENCE FINALS BEST-OF-7 All times Central
TODAY’S GAME
Indiana at Miami, 7:30 p.m.
Miami leads series 1-0
SATURDAY’S GAME
San Antonio at Memphis, 8 p.m.
San Antonio leads series 2-0
Sports, Pages 19 on 05/24/2013