Interim coach Tony Barone’s debut on the Grizzlies’ bench was a success. Mike Miller’s 27 points led five Griz in double figures. Stromile Swift came off the bench and posted 14 rebounds and 15 points.
The Griz got off to a hot start, with 39 points in the first quarter, but Toronto scrambled back and closed to within two points in the final minutes. The Griz were deadly at the line (24-26) and held off the late charge to garner their seventh win of the season.
For a complete recap and box score, go here. For more on the Griz, check out Beyond the Arc, the Flyer‘s Grizzlies blog.
In other news: Grizzlies President Jerry West again praised recently fired coach Mike Fratello, reiterated that Barone’s coaching stint would only be through the end of this season, and confirmed that he would not rest until he found the perfect short Italian coach. Scheduled for interviews later this week are Rollie Massimino, Danny DeVito, Joe Pesci, and Father Guido Sarducci.
