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Memphis Grizzlies: Top Playoff moments, “Smokey and the Bear”

By Brendan Smart

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - APRIL 29: Zach Randolph
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK - APRIL 29: Zach Randolph /
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My favorite Memphis Grizzlies playoff moments continues with a look back to the 2014 NBA playoffs. A series in which Mike Miller and Zach Randolph were scorching on offense.

While many of the fans like to forget about that 2014 first round series, I took a look back, and saw some things that I had forgotten. There were several things that happened in this series that came rushing back that made me mad, and a bit happy.

How can you be happy about a lost playoff series? Mike Miller returning with championship pedigree and trying to push his favorite city towards something bigger. The Grizzlies also took the Oklahoma City Thunder to game seven, but then the bad news hit, and here is when it gets frustrating.

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – APRIL 29: Mike Miller #13 of the Memphis Grizzlies shoots the ball against the Oklahoma City Thunder. In Game Five of the Western Conference Quarterfinals of the NBA Playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena on April 29, 2014 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK – APRIL 29: Mike Miller #13 of the Memphis Grizzlies shoots the ball against the Oklahoma City Thunder. In Game Five of the Western Conference Quarterfinals of the NBA Playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena on April 29, 2014 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. /

Randolph was suspended for a “phantom shove” on Thunder center Steven Adams. Was it suspension worthy? I’ll let you decided that one, but Randolph and Miller were clicking in this game five in Oklahoma City.

Miller finished with 21 points and made five of his eight three-pointers in that victory. Randolph did his usual, and was frustrating the opponent in the paint. Z-Bo finished with 20 points made eight of his 15 shots attempted from the field.

Could you imagine if Randolph doesn’t get suspended for that game seven in Oklahoma City? I think the Grizzlies pull that out, because that year, the road teams dominated in the first round. Not sure why, but it seemed that the Grizzlies had all of the momentum until the league office announced that Randolph would be suspended for one game. One game that would turn into the biggest game of the season for the Grizzlies that year.

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