Nothing has come easy for the Memphis Grizzlies so far in the 2011-2012 regular season. There have been injuries, and not in the Love Smith “nobody is 100% this time of year” way either, we’re talking real injuries that have kept their go-to scorer (Zach Randolph) out of action for 2.5 months, best perimeter defender (Tony Allen) out for two weeks and even smaller injuries that forced important players to miss big games (Mike Conley 27 seconds into the home opener against Oklahoma City and Rudy Gay against the Lakers).
There have been stretches of games that seemed like they would never end, including a recent run of seven games in nine nights in which the Grizzlies very successfully navigated with a neat 7-2 record. There have been situations where it seemed like the refs had an axe to grind with Memphis, like the mid-March game at home against the Lakers in which they shot an astounding 34 total free throws compared to just five for the Grizzlies. To this writer, that’s still an absurd number, even a month later.
Despite it all, the Grizzlies’ biggest game came Tuesday night in Minnesota. After what may have been the worst game that they played all year on Sunday against New Orleans, the Grizzlies knew that they needed to rebound in a major way and do whatever it took to get a win going into the stretch run.
Part of the reason the loss to a bad Hornets team was so confusing was the fact that the Grizzlies had a lot of things still to play for. They could have elevated themselves as high as the third seed in the west, clinching home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs, and the opportunity to play one of the three teams hoping to sneak into the playoffs before a likely second-round series against the Spurs.
The Grizzlies certainly looked fatigued against the Timberwolves on Tuesday, as well. They never got any consistent production or any big runs going. They played tough, hard-nosed Memphis Grizzlies-style ball and wound up with an important, if not unconvincing, win.
The Grizzlies moved to within two games of the Clippers for the 4 seed and within 2.5 of the third place Lakers. Going further, the Clippers play arguably the most difficult schedule in the league down the stretch, other than a home game against the suddenly frisky Hornets.
Memphis got another big performance from Rudy Gay in Minnesota as he ended up with 28 points and 9 rebounds. While it’s true that Minnesota is hardly one of the top teams in the league, it was a big game from a guy that the Grizzlies desperately needed, considering the circumstances.
As you may have seen mentioned on this site once or twice, the Grizzlies’ playoff fate will ultimately be determined by how well Rudy Gay plays. This isn’t some new revelation as Gay is the team’s highest-paid player, but we’ve all seen the Grizzlies’ ceiling without Rudy Gay on the floor, and that was last year as Memphis was eliminated in 7 games by the Thunder in the second round of the playoffs.
It was a run that inspired Grizzly fans and casual NBA fans alike, but ultimately things didn’t end the way that Memphis would have wanted. The goal for every team, every season, should be a championship and the Grizzlies simply weren’t equipped to win four rounds in the playoffs without Rudy Gay.
With Rudy Gay, however? Things become more interesting.
We’ll leave any potential playoff projections for another day (or if/when the Grizzlies clinch a playoff spot) because quite frankly, the Minnesota game was pretty ugly. The T’Wolves only shot 36% from the field and that was without Ricky Rubio and Kevin Love on the floor. Minny had the look of a team that was ready for the season to be over. The Grizzlies found a way to win another one.
Also coming up big for the Grizzlies was Zach Randolph. Surprised? You shouldn’t be. Z-bo posted another double-double against Minnesota’s depleted front line with 16 points and 11 rebounds in a long 32 minute stretch, his longest since returning from injury. Again, Minnesota was without Kevin Love, but Zach needed to get out and play some big minutes before the playoffs in preparation for a potential playoff run. The production was great, but Zach being able to play extended minutes was the most important takeaway from last night’s game.
Marc Gasol played despite a scary-looking injury on Sunday against the Hornets. He looked pretty good at times, as well, even throwing down a sweet dunk at one point. He wasn’t moving as well as he usually does, but the Grizzlies have to be encouraged at the way he responded.