There’s no place like home for the Griz
Jan 28th, 2010 by Aaron Hotchner
Memphis, 1/25/10 –Maybe it’s the swing of a local music scene that birthed legends like Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, & B.B. King. Maybe Memphis’s world-renowned dry rub barbecue fuels them in a way hotel food just can’t match. Or maybe they take team sponsor FedEx’s ”We Live to Deliver” slogan very seriously. No matter the cause, the Grizzlies have 11 straight home-court victories, (17-5 total on the season) making Memphis unlikely to land on any team’s ”favorite places to visit” list anytime soon.
Monday night’s game at FedEx Forum was no exception, with the Griz dispatching the ‘08-09 NBA finals contending Orlando Magic 99-95. Despite a monster night by Magic man-child Dwight Howard, Memphis utilized a balanced scoring effort & shattered a three game Orlando win streak. Even sweeter, with this 24th victory for the season, they have already matched their wins total from last year.
While Orlando’s Howard leads the League in rebounding, Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph put together a clinic on the subject. Hauling in 19 total – including 9 offensive boards – Randolph’s dominance on the glass, coupled with his 23 points, was instrumental for Grizzly success. Fleet-footed former USC Trojan O.J. Mayo also lent a hand, shooting about 50% for the night, ending with 20 points. Center Marc Gasol contributed19 points & a ”hands-on” approach to defending Howard. ”I expect him to play like that,” Howard said of Gasol. ”He’s a physical player. He’s a good actor too. Physical, but he’s good at acting.”
Considering the night he had, Howard shouldn’t give any credit to Gasol’s defense. Shooting 81% for 27 points, (nice when you can dunk it without hardly trying!) Dwight also snared 15 rebounds & swatted six shots, making his case as the NBA’s premier big-man. Problem was though; he was a one-man Magic act, with the rest of Orlando turning in sub-par performances. Rashard Lewis shot a shabby 37% from the field, earning 19 points mostly on the strength of four of eight from the 3-point line. Previously known for his “Vinsanity”, Vince Carter was remarkably tame, managing five 3-point misses on his way to 15 points.
Orlando also committed 30 fouls, gifting Memphis 26 trips to the charity stripe. Only a relatively poor free-throw night by the Griz (65%) kept the final score close. The Magic also turned the ball over 19 times, something noticed by coach Stan Van Gundy: ”The turnovers are creeping up, and it’s every game,” he said. Reaching the Finals by stunning a heavily favored Celtics team, Orlando entered this season with much to prove, especially after losing forward Hedo Turkoglu to free agency. After games like this one, asking, “do you believe in Magic?” may prompt an answer Orlando does not want to hear.