The question on the minds of many fans and media types following the Grizzlies’ 106-105 loss Monday night to the Portland Trail Blazers had to do with how Travis Outlaw was able to drive from near half court to within six feet of the basket after receiving the ball with 2.8 seconds left?

A more pointed thought: Why didn’t the Griz (with a foul to give) elect to hack Outlaw after his first dribble and with so little time remaining?

Mike Miller, who defended Outlaw on the play, said Monday night that it was talked about during the time out. Head coach Marc Iavaroni shed more light on the sequence and his philosophy after Tuesday’s practice.

Iavaroni said he instructed the Grizzlies NOT to foul anyone on a drive to the basket. He doesn’t believe in that. So Miller did exactly what he was told to in that situation because Iavaroni didn’t want to risk a referee’s questionable call sending Outlaw to the free throw line.

Iavaroni noted that fouling on a drive to the basket and whether to consider “continuation” can be interpreted many ways by an official. He pointed out that Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant recently benefited from a generous call.

Sometimes all it takes is for a player to flail his arms and act as if he was shooting to con an official into awarding free throws. It’s something that actually happened in the Griz-Blazers game when a Portland player was clearly fouled before attempting a shot but was considered to be in the act of shooting.

So there’s the explanation. Now, why were the Griz even in that situation?

We don’t have enough time – not even in a blog. I, for one, am just happy that Iavaroni elected to bring Damon Stoudamire back in the game during crunch time. He makes better decisions and clutch shots no matter what’s happened during the first three quarters.