Gametime: Grizzlies vs. Pacers - Feb. 10, 2012

Gametime

Final: Grizzlies 98, Pacers 92 - February 10, 2012

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Key Stat of the Night

Memphis limited Indiana to .238 (5-of-21 FG) in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Pacers 25-19… The two teams were tied after the end of the first, second and third quarters tonight.

Key Run of the Night

After Paul George converted a pair of free throws to tie the score with 9:25 left in the fourth quarter, the Grizzlies went on a 9-0 run to seal the win… Rudy Gay’s slam dunk and free throw with 7:04 remaining in the game gave Memphis an 86-77 advantage.

Player Notes

Marreese Speights tallied season-high 19 points and grabbed nine rebounds, his first 14 points made in the first half... He surpassed his previous season-high of 17, set on Jan. 8 in Los Angeles.

Tony Allen grabbed a season-high tying eight rebounds.

Dante Cunningham scored a season-high 12 points, surpassing his previous high of 10 (Jan. 10 vs. Oklahoma City).

The Grizzlies got back in the win column by knocking off the Pacers 98-92 Friday night at FedExForum. Rudy Gay led the way with 21 points while Marreese Speights scored 19 with nine rebounds. Marc Gasol and Mike Conley each added 15 points.

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They said...

Coach Hollins

On the win:

“In the first half, they were out working us and they were getting easy cuts. The second half we picked it up and we did an outstanding job defensively. I want to commend the bench because they came in and gave me a lot of confidence and trust that they were going to play well, and they did. Jeremy Pargo played well, and we were able to keep Mike Conley on the bench for a long stretch. Mike went back in with about six minutes left to go in the game, and he was fresh and ready to go. Marc (Gasol) went back in and did the old man’s work. Marreese Speights did an outstanding job. It was good to have Tony (Allen) out (on the floor), and Tony defended and rebounded down the stretch. He got two or three big rebounds, and then we executed. The best play of the night, though, was the last play when Juice (O.J. Mayo) dribbled up the court and made them have to chase us. We were able to burn time, and we didn’t have to worry about them anymore. Then he missed the free throw and got the rebound, so the game was over. In those situations guys tend to want to hold the ball and get fouled and there are 17 or 18 seconds. Even if you make them (free throws), you still have to go play defense maybe two or three more times. That was a big play. I thought we hurt them with our back-door action really bad. They were over playing so much, we got three or four dunks and fouls going back-door on them, and we just made enough in transition to help us as well.”

On Marreese Speights:

“He’s been rebounding and he has been working in practice. We had a few days where we have had time in between. I just told him tonight, ‘I know you hate some of those drills but you’re seeing the rewards for doing them.’ He’s got two or three post plays where he got banged and scored. He also had a couple of tip-ins, one with his left hand. We have been working with him, trying to get him to be more of an inside player and not so much of a perimeter player. It’s a work in progress, and I am sure that next game we may see him on the perimeter but we are working it. He’s giving us the effort, and we saw some of that tonight”.

On Marc Gasol’s All-Star selection:

“I am excited for Marc. It’s an honor and a privilege to be selected especially by the coaches. The fans do their thing but it’s more of a popularity thing. The coaches know who played and who’s getting it done. Marc deserves it, and I also thought Rudy Gay deserved to be on the team. I told the guys this morning that there are guys that don’t deserve to be on the team because they are not having the year that they normally have. They are perennial All-Stars, so I understand the coaches honoring them and giving them the opportunity to stay on the team.”

Marreese Speights

On his game:

“I’ve just come up. I knew we were going to be home for a minute, so I have been working on things I needed to and have been working extra hard so I can play.”

On the team:

“We are going to be really good. We have a mindset that we are back and have to play Memphis basketball.”

On playing at home:

“It is always important to get wins at home. It is hard to get a win on the road. When we are at home we have a nice crowd. We get time to work-out outside of the game.”

Qunicy Pondexter

On the importance of winning at home:

“The strategy to be successful in the NBA is that you definitely have to take care of home. We haven’t been here that much early in the season. When we get to come home to some home cooking and to be in our own beds, we really don’t want to let the crowd down or let ourselves down. We know that we are a good team.”

On their next opponent the Utah Jazz:

“Every team in this league is tough, but we know that Utah is playing really well right now. They are surprising everybody. When we come out, we are going to use what we did this game to learn for the next game. It is fun. This half of the season is fun. Every game is a well-fought battle, and we are looking forward to it.”

Mike Conley

On the game:

“We had some good stops. We had some pretty good low post scores on (Roy) Hibbert. I thought our bigs did a good job of holding their ground and staying in front of him, and I thought our guards did a good job rebounding. We are just going to keep working to stay solid and stay committed to the defense, offense, and keep doing a good job.”

On having Tony Allen back:

“It is good to see him out on the court. He has a vibe about him. When he gets on the court you know you have got to step up your game. He requires so much out of you, defensively especially. I tell him, ‘people are afraid of you.’ When the opposite team brings the ball down the court, they are afraid to throw passes around him, so he can change the game.”

On being home:

“It is very important. We were on the road for a while there, and we got onto a little losing streak. To get comfortable at home, in front of your fans, get momentum going, especially this time of year before the All-Star Break is critical. We always want to go into the All-Star Break on a good note and then come back and do the same thing.”