Zach Randolph’s amazing buzzer beater as the Grizzlies beat the Mavericks
The Grizzlies played one of the roughest weeks of the 2010-2011 season that continued the brutal month of March.
The Grizzlies are in the midst of seven straight games against teams destined for the playoffs. This stretch includes games against, the Spurs (twice), Hornets, Knicks, Thunder, and Dallas. The Grizzlies are 3-3 during this stretch.
The final game of the seven game stretch occurs Saturday against the Miami; the Grizzlies will battle for a season sweep against the Heat and a winning record during these seven games.
The Grizzlies’ intensity and gutty play against some of the best teams in the NBA has in general reassured fans that the Grizzlies can make some noise in the playoffs.
After the Grizzlies improbable victory in Dallas, several Mavericks fans tweeted their fear of facing the Grizzlies in the playoffs. Mavericks’ fans compared the Grizzlies to the eight-seeded Golden State Warriors who knocked the one-seed Mavericks out of the playoffs.
The Grizzlies have had many highs and lows during this stretch. Here is a recap:
Zach Randolph makes two critical free throws as the Grizzlies hold off the Thunder
The Good
The Grizzlies overcame a 17-point halftime deficit in Dallas to beat the Mavericks on a last second Zach Randolph buzzer beater. The Mavericks dominated the Grizzlies in the first half, until they scored 41 points in the third quarter.
The Grizzlies are now the only team in the NBA to have three wins against the Mavericks, with two victories in Dallas.
The Grizzlies’ ability to play with the best teams in the NBA will be important in the playoffs, when the Grizzlies will face the Spurs, Mavericks or Lakers in the first round.
Here are the Grizzlies records against the top teams in the West:
Spurs (1-2): One loss was in overtime and the other was not decided until the last minute
Lakers (2-2): Three of the four games were close until the end
Mavericks (3-1): The Grizzlies have two victories by a combined two points in Dallas
Thunder (3-1): The Grizzlies have three hard fought wins against the Thunder (one in Oklahoma City without Rudy Gay)
The Grizzlies are 9-6 against the best four teams in the West. In Miami, the Heat fans would take that record any day.
The Bad
The Grizzlies have a couple of ugly losses including games against the Hornets and Knicks. In both games the Grizzlies started slowly and their offensive was not in sync until it was too late.
The Hornets maintained a comfortable lead for most of the game, until the Grizzlies made a run in the fourth quarter. However after Marc Gasol missed two free throws in the final minute, the Hornets had a comfortable four point lead.
The Grizzlies have had their issues with the Hornets and will face them two more times before the end of the season.
The Grizzlies must translate the intensity they bring against the best teams in the NBA into their games against teams they are battling with for playoff position.
The game versus the Knicks mirrored the Hornets game in many ways. Although the Grizzlies started slowly, the Knicks were on fire offensively. At one point in the first quarter the Knicks had a shooting percentage of over 80 percent.
The Grizzlies stormed back from 10 down in the last three minutes to tie the game. However following Carmelo Anthony’s heartbreaking jumper shot over Tony Allen, fans had to wonder if the Grizzlies started their push too late in the game.
Grizzlies forward Darrell Arthur battles Amare Stoudemire for positioning, the Grizzlies lost on a last second shot by Carmelo Anthony
The Good
The Grizzlies are winning against some of the best teams in the NBA without second leading scorer and “Mr. Clutch” Rudy Gay. This is a comforting fact to many Grizzlies fans that see a team growing by the day without its franchise star.
Each player has stepped up in different ways, Zach Randolph has become the clutch scorer and Gasol has become a skilled first half offensive machine.
Other Grizzlies players have become more comfortable in their roles. Allen and Shane Battier have transformed the Grizzlies into a tough defensive team.
The Bad
The Grizzlies schedule does not get any easier as the season ends and Phoenix, Houston and Utah are too close for comfort.
The Grizzlies still have to play the Spurs, Knicks, Celtics, Bulls, Hornets (twice) and Jazz in the next month. The Grizzlies have yet to record a win against the Bulls, Celtics or the Hornets.
The Best
The Grizzlies will also face the Clippers three times and other winnable games including the Kings, Timberwolves, Pacers, and the Warriors.
Gay will be reevaluated this week and will hopefully return to the court in the next week or two.
If the Grizzlies continue their rugged, intense play, they will have a good chance to record a winning record for the rest of the season and reach the playoffs for the first time in the last five years.
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