This gritty, grind-it-out game came right down to the wire as Marc Gasol missed a free throw in the last few seconds that would have tied the game after a very late Grizzlies rally. Neither team had much help off the bench as this game was primarily a battle of two of the leagues best starting front-courts.
Zach Randolph led the Grizzlies in scoring and rebounding, with 26 points and nine rebounds. He added four assists and three steals in 39 minutes. Marc Gasol added 18 points, seven rebounds and three assists, on 5-8 shooting, including 8-12 free throw shooting. Mike Conley gave the Grizzlies good guard play with 16 points, six rebounds, five assists and one steal but did not have much help in terms of back court scoring. Courtney Lee had only six points but still dished five assists and grabbed three steals. Matt Barnes had a bit of a chip on his shoulder about being let go by the Clippers and played hard against his old team, tallying eight points, six rebounds, two steals and two blocks.
The front-court combo of Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan proved superior in this Western Conference showdown. Griffin had a solid game with 24 points and 12 rebounds, while Jordan scored 13 points and grabbed 12 rebounds as well. Jordan also added a big four blocks. Chris Paul and J.J. Redick both contributed double digit scoring, Paul with 14 and Redick with 16 points. Austin Rivers gave a solid 22 minutes off the bench with 9 points, including 5-6 free throw shooting and two steals. Jamal Crawford meanwhile continued his shooting struggles, going 2-7 from the field, but still contributed some timely buckets and reliable 8-9 free throw shooting.
Up next for Memphis will be a match with league leading Golden State. The Grizzlies will try to defend home court against the ruthless Warriors squad. The Clippers will be at Dallas on Wednesday to face the Mavs.
