What a long, but very pleasant trip.
First, Malaga is a city located in southern Spain, almost to the point where the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea converge. Its population of almost 600,000 people makes Malaga the sixth largest city in the country.

Video Postcard
There is no one on the Grizzlies’ roster that has more fun at work than Hakim Warrick. The forward has played overseas many times. But he’s never been to Spain, and shares his thoughts about visiting Pau Gasol’s native country.

Sneak preview
This 10,200-capacity arena is not as large as NBA buildings but it’s nice nonetheless. Soon after the Griz arrived at the Palacio de Deportes de Malaga, they took the practice court and began a light workout.

The flight from Memphis to Malaga was rather uneventful but very comfortable. Following a 7 p.m. Memphis departure, the Grizzlies’ non-stop flight landed in Malaga around 11:30 a.m. local time (it was 4:30 a.m. in Memphis).

This wasn’t exactly a brutal trip.

Each seat on the plane was first class — so much so that each one reclined flat to make a bed. An upbeat flight crew served a hot snack, complete dinner and then breakfast about 1 /12 hours before arrival. The other good news is that everyone remembered their passport, unlike in 2003 when veteran guard Wesley Person forgot his during the Grizzlies’ trip to Paris and Barcelona.

The Grizzlies’ arrival was supposed to be hush-hush but it was anything but that. There were at least 10 camera crews and a throng of Pau Gasol/Juan Carlos Navarro fans pushing, shoving and yelling. Even so, there was an onlooker carrying an Allen Iverson jersey. That guy watched the Griz party load two buses and zoom through Malaga with a police escort.

The practice went about two hours – “long enough to break a sweat,” according to coach Marc Iavaroni – but didn’t include contact. Iavaroni said it was important to get the players out of the hotel and used to the new time zone.

Spain is seven hours ahead of Memphis.