The Lead: Normally a home win over a 12-25 opponent wouldn’t be impressive. But this one sorta was.
The Grizzlies had played a close game in Toronto last night and had flown home afterward, where a well-rested Pistons team — which hadn’t played since Wednesday — awaited them. And, despite their horrid overall record, the Pistons have been very competitive lately, going 8-6 in February.
For three quarters, the Grizzlies just couldn’t put it together. They seemed to be playing hard, but were plagued by bad turnovers (including two by three-point shooters stepping on the sideline), fouls (eight in the third quarter alone), and lots of missed shots in the paint.
They trailed 70-69 entering the third quarter and then 78-76 on a three-pointer from Pistons guard Rodney Stuckey four minutes into the quarter. From that point on, the Grizzlies went on a 17-0 run over the course of about five minutes to put the game away, a stretch that included two big three-pointers from O.J. Mayo, 8 dynamic points from Quincy Pondexter, and stifling team defense throughout.
This was a game that could easily have been a “one of those nights” or “they were due for a letdown” kind of game. But the Grizzlies found an extra reservoir of energy, focus, and teamwork when they needed it, turning a battle into a blowout. Legit contenders do this. And that’s what the Grizzlies, even without their ostensible best player, are starting to look like.
