MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Dave Joergers road through professional basketballs minor leagues has finally landed him in an NBA head coaching seat. His first job is at a familiar spot, with a team he has been a part of for six seasons. Joerger (YAY-gehr) was introduced as coach of the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday after a season in which they won a franchise-best 56 games but split with coach Lionel Hollins. "I am ready for this opportunity," Joerger said. "I have won in the past. I know how to win. Were going to win." Joerger, 39, was a successful head coach in the minor leagues and was the lead assistant under Hollins the last two seasons. He has been with the team six seasons. The Grizzlies are coming off a Western Conference finals appearance, but there was a disconnect between Hollins and the new ownership group led by Robert Pera. Hollins contract wasnt renewed despite a 196-155 record since becoming coach of the Grizzlies in January 2009. "Lionel Hollins did some great things for this organization. ... Now we turn the page to the Dave Joerger era," said Jason Levien, the Grizzlies chief executive officer and managing partner. Terms of Joergers contract werent released, but The Commercial Appeal newspaper in Memphis has reported Joerger signed a four-year deal with a starting salary of about $1.5 million. "This is a blue-collar town, and Im a blue-collar guy," Joerger said. "I came up the hard way. I came up through the minor leagues." Joergers name had been mentioned as the heir apparent to Hollins even as ownership and the former Grizzlies coach were trying to patch things up. On June 10, team leaders decided they had reached an impasse with Hollins and announced they wouldnt keep him. "This is something Ive been dreaming about for a long time," Joerger said. "This is something Ive been preparing for for a long time. This is Lionels job. When it wasnt Lionels job, then Im interested in coaching this team and leading this team. When that happened, then we started talking and going forward. The last couple of days, it went really fast." The Grizzlies also interviewed George Karl, the NBA coach of the year before being fired by Denver, Chicago Bulls assistant Ed Pinckney and former Phoenix coach Alvin Gentry. Through it all, Joergers name remained the one most mentioned. Levien said he was "positively inclined" toward Joerger as the coaching search began, but they had never talked about specific direction or style. "I thought it gave us an opportunity to spend real serious time in evaluating who the other options were," Levien said. "There arent too many times you get a first-time NBA head coach who has won professional basketball championships as much as Dave has." Joerger won an International Basketball Association title and two Continental Basketball Association crowns with the Dakota Wizards. A third CBA championship came as coach of the Sioux Falls Skyforce in 2005. He won a fifth minor league championship in 2007 with the Wizards after they had moved to the NBA Development League. Joerger was the Grizzlies lead assistant coach this season and helped co-ordinate a defence that allowed a league-low 89.3 points per game. His experience with the team also could help the Grizzlies have a smooth transition from the Hollins era. The dismissal of Hollins wasnt popular in many segments of the Grizzlies fan base. While Hollins had his detractors, his success made the departure tough to accept in the community, which has no other professional franchise. "I think coming off the success we had at the end of the season here in May and the excitement around the team was palpable," Levien said. "Certainly making changes, making adjustments is never easy. I think there is going to be an important time now for people to get to know Dave, to get to know our vision for the team as an organization, where we want to take this team and its role in the community. ... That said, I think also were going to soothe a lot of people when we start winning basketball games. We cant do that until Oct. 31 or so." Joerger said his style will be a faster pace than in the past, but not at the expense of the Grizzlies defensive reputation. He said the Grizzlies will maintain a grit-grind attitude and remain one of the most physical team in the league. Joerger said the faster pace wouldnt mean "vomit basketball" in which shots are taken in the first 5 seconds of the shot clock. "I think that would be silly regarding the fact we have two All-Stars playing the power forward and centre position," Joerger said referring to Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol. "But by opening up the floor, moving the basketball, by spreading the floor a little bit, they are going to have more room to work. "Other teams arent going to have nine dudes in the paint when Zachs trying to back down and go to work. ... I like 3-pointers, but I love layups and I love free throws." Ecco Outlet Uk . Amid a rain of confetti, Shabazz Napier basked in the celebration on the court after being named the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four following the 60-54 win over Kentucky. Ecco Mens Shoes Uk . The Union looked to have grabbed a big win in the 88th minute when Amobi Okugo finally put the hosts in front. But a terrible giveaway by Union goalkeeper Rais Mbolhi handed Earnshaw the equalizer in the second minute of stoppage time, keeping the Union two points back of fifth-place Red Bull New York for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. http://www.cheapeccouk.com/ . -- Miguel Angel Jimenez quickly shifted his focus back to the Ryder Cup after winning his first Champions Tour event. Ecco Shoes Sale Clearance .S. routed Sweden 7-0 Sunday to win its fourth straight title and seventh overall under-18 world championship. Olson earned his third shutout of the tournament and the Americans allowed only four goals in six games to set an International Ice Hockey Federation under-18 record. Cheap Ecco Shoes Online .Y. - Major League Soccers independent review panel has taken back the fine and one-game suspension it placed on Toronto FC forward Luke Moore earlier this week. OKLAHOMA CITY -- Oklahoma City coach Scott Brooks knows his team can play from behind. He just doesnt want the Thunder to make a habit of it. "Were very prideful. Were going to keep fighting to the last possession," Brooks said after watching his team pull out a come-from-behind 115-113 win at home against Denver. "Thats always been a trademark but we cant just turn it on the second half. We have to correct that. Its my job to find combinations where guys are going to play with more defensive force." Kevin Durant scored 38 points, Russell Westbrook had 30 points and 12 rebounds and the Thunder were forced to rally late to win their second straight game. "Its tough. We cant continue to do that and put pressure on ourselves. Weve got to start the game better. Most of that is my fault," Westbrook said. Oklahoma Citys All-Star point guard struggled early hitting just one of his first seven shots and just four of 12 in the first half. But Westbrook also had seven assists and 11 fourth-quarter points to help Oklahoma City erase a 14-point deficit in the second half. Reggie Jackson added 14 points. With the score tied at 105, Serge Ibaka pulled down an offensive rebound and found Durant for a 3-pointer that put Oklahoma City (7-3) ahead to stay. Jeremy Lamb and Derek Fisher each hit a pair of free throws in the final 14 seconds to help the Thunder hold on. "I think Fish was a huge part of that," Brooks said. "Youve got to love guys that play with everything they have. I cant say enough about his effort. His effort turned that game around." Ty Lawson led Denver (4-6) with 29 points and eight assists. J.J. Hickson had 18 points and 19 rebounds. The Nuggets led the entire game except for the first 18 seconds of the first quarter and the final 1:26 of the fourth. First-year Denver Coach Brian Shaw said his teams outside shooting had been a sore spot coming into the game, but the Nuggets connected on four of their first seven 3-point attempts. Denver shot 59 per cent from the field while grabbing a 39-28 lead after the first quarter. Oklahoma City then began the second quaarter with a 10-2 run, but reserve Nate Robinson gave the Nuggets a lift with eight points that helped them to a 13-point lead.dddddddddddd After hitting just one shot in the first quarter, Westbrook scored eight points in the second. Westbrooks 25-footer with a second remaining in the half cut Denvers lead to three. Denver increased its lead to 14 in the third quarter but watched it evaporate as Oklahoma City rallied for its second straight win. "Bottom line, you play a team of this calibre on their home court and you pretty much control the entire game it comes down to small details and we didnt do well enough in those areas," Shaw said. "Thats the part thats the shame." Denver missed 18 free throws and gave up 19 offensive rebounds to the Thunder. Oklahoma City has traditionally struggled with the Nuggets, winning one of four meetings last season and 7 of 12 overall in the young series. The Nuggets had five players score in double figures, but went 25 for 43 from the free-throw line. Evan Fournier had 12 points, Randy Foye scored 11 and Robinson finished with 10. The Thunder were 26 for 32 from the line and outrebounded Denver 53-45. "The comforting thing is we have guys that can come off the bench and play good minutes and have a good role for us," Brooks said. "Thats my job to figure out our best lineups at the end of the game and we found the defensive team that was willing to compete every possession." NOTES: Oklahoma City was 13 for 27 from 3-point range. Westbrook and Durant each made three 3s. ... The Thunder outscored the Nuggets 32-21 in the fourth. Oklahoma City returned from a 1-2 road trip to start a six-game home stretch that continues with the Clippers on Thursday . Nuggets point guard Andre Miller entered Mondays game seven assists shy of passing Rod Strickland for ninth place on the NBAs career list. The 15-year veteran is already one of eight players in league history with at least 15,000 assists and 7,500 assists. He had two assists. . Denvers Wilson Chandler had eight points in his first start since coming back from a hamstring strain. ' ' '