- LARRY KUZNIEWSKI
- The Grizzlies got back to what works in a must-win Game 5: Feeding the beasts.
The roar that went through FedExForum when Zach Randolph walked to the bench late in the first quarter was one of relief as much as excitement. Facing elimination on their home floor in the fifth game of this first-round series with the Los Angeles Clippers, the Grizzlies had spent the better part of a week in the wilderness. The team’s biggest offensive advantage against the Clippers and one of the twin pillars of the team’s identity — the two-man post attack of Randolph and running buddy Marc Gasol — had been mysteriously missing.
But when Randolph took his first breather the Grizzlies led 35-22 and he and Gasol had combined for 27 points on 12-14 shooting. This was a return to the inside game more ferocious than any reasonable fan’s wildest hopes. They attacked Clippers star Blake Griffin — a dynamic scorer but mediocre defender — relentlessly, happily feeding whichever post scorer Griffin guarded. As much as the upcoming Van Halen concert being advertised around the arena, this was a reunion show, and mixed in with the palpable relief in the building was a mix of gratitude (“We missed you guys so much!”) and frustration (“Why did it have to come to this?”).
That first quarter was a thrilling display of offensive execution — eight of the post duo’s 12 made field goals were either assisted or off offensive rebounds; this was not an iso show — matched by staunch defense, especially from Tony Allen and Gasol on the Clippers’ stars, Chris Paul and Griffin, respectively.
The first quarter was reminiscent of the series-opening explosion early in Game 1. And, troublingly, so was the rest of the game.
