Postgame Summary: Grizzlies 120, Kings 92

Grizzlies

February 26, 2011

Zach Randolph had 23 points and 12 rebounds and Memphis blitzed the Kings in the middle of Saturday's 120-92 home win. Marc Gasol added 21 points, all 12 Memphis players scored, and the Grizzlies rode a 66-38 edge over the second and third quarters to win their second straight. Game Info | Box Score

Postgame Notes

  • With Utah’s loss tonight in Detroit, Memphis moved into sole possession of the eighth seed in the Western Conference Playoffs.
  • The Grizzlies picked up their 14th win in the last 18 games.
  • Memphis won its season-high tying fourth consecutive home game and earned its 12th victory in the last 14 games at FedExForum… The Grizzlies’ only two losses during that span came on Feb. 7 to the two-time defending NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers and on Jan. 17 to the Central Division-leading Chicago Bulls.
  • Memphis scored a season-high 120 points, including 64 in the second half… That’s one point shy of the Grizzlies’ highest-scoring half this season.
  • The Grizzlies remained undefeated (10-0) against opponents playing the second night of a back-to-back at FedExForum… Sacramento lost 110-98 the previous night at Charlotte.
  • Memphis is now 12-3 in 2011 against teams who entered the game with a losing record… The Grizzlies were just 6-7 against sub-.500 teams before New Year’s Day.
  • All 12 Grizzlies players scored.
  • Stat of the Night:The Grizzlies, the NBA league-leaders in points in the paint, scored a franchise-record 78 points in the paint, topping the previous record of 76, set when the team was located in Vancouver (2/14/98 vs. Washington)… Much of the damage was done by Zach Randolph (23 points) and Marc Gasol (21), but Memphis also got significant contributions off the bench from Darrell Arthur (17) and Hamed Haddadi (season-high 10).
  • Key Run of the Night: After a Jason Thompson dunk cut Memphis’ lead to five (60-55) with 10:20 left in the third quarter, Memphis closed the quarter on a 29-11 run to take a 23-point advantage into the final frame… The Grizzlies built the lead up to as many as 33 points in the fourth.

Video

Marc Gasol

Photos

Player Notes

Zach Randolph

posted team highs in points (23) and rebounds (12) through the first three quarters… Z-Bo rested in the fourth, as Memphis moved to 18-9 when he records at least 20 points and 10 boards.

They said...

Lionel Hollins

Coach Hollins

On the energy of the team:
I thought we had a lot of energy at the start of the game, but it was misused energy. We had a couple of days off and guys were ready to play. They came out and were playing at a ragged pace that was too fast for us which helped Sacramento. Then we finally settled into who we were and started getting stops. They scored 21 points in the second quarter and 17 in the third. We scored 66 points in those two quarters. We scored 97 points in three quarters. We really started attacking them and I felt like we could. They didn’t do a good job on the pick and roll. We were able to do what we needed to do to get the win. We had 78 points in the paint, which is unheard of. I just thought our team did an outstanding job.

On Hamed Haddadi:
Hamed did a nice job. He had 10 rebounds, he had two blocked shots, and he rolled to the basket and finished. He is going to get the minutes. He has got to play. He is the only seven-footer we have on the roster. He has got to be more focused at practice everyday and aware of what we are doing. He has got to come up to speed and I think he will do fine.

On the team:
I like our team. I like how we are constructed. I think we are a little thin up front with bigger guys, but we play in a quick conference. I’m pleased with the way we played.

“We are getting better. When you add veteran players that have been on a championship level, the communication is better. They help people that don’t communicate, and they are in the rotation. Adding Tony Allen, adding Shane (Battier) and J-Will (Jason Williams) was needed for our young players in order to really go forward.

On Shane Battier:
It really was a retro throwback night. When Shane went in the game they (the crowd) really got into it. A lot of people really respect the way he plays and what he brings to the community off the court. He did a nice job for us. When we were struggling I thought that I had better throw him in the game as early as possible and get the crowd behind us. Then we could feed off the crowd to play the way we needed to play and we did.

On Jason Williams:
I want to commend J-Will with the second group especially. He did a nice job of controlling things. He set Hamed up.

“He is a lot more settled. As players mature, they have a much better understanding of playing to win. After playing on a championship team, he understands. He is still a very good cerebral point guard. He knows how to get the ball to people and play off the pick-and-roll. He gives us a veteran presence.

On Rodney Carney:
He is from Memphis, so of course they were chanting for him. I am glad he got an opportunity to get in the game, and I am glad he scored. We tried to run a play for him that didn’t work out, but he wound up scoring anyway. I am happy for him.

Zach  Randolph

Zach Randolph

On start to the game:
We had a couple days. We had a lot of energy when we first came out. We were going to fast. I know I was definitely going too fast so I had to stop and take a step down.

On the points in the paint:
That is how we play, from inside out. Once we get it going guys won’t give up shots so they come and double team, so we pass the ball and get open shots. That is a lot of points in the paint (78). That is our team, and that is our team identity.

On Shane Battier joining the team:
plays hard. He has a great body, good hands and good feet.