Court Vision: Grizzlies tear through Kings to get back on track
MEMPHIS, Tenn -- Grizzlies center Marc Gasol was still celebrating Sunday's Wrestlemania, going Hulk Hogan on his jersey. Gasol missed a shot in the first quarter and tore a nearly foot-long lighting bolt between the "i" and the "z."
Memphis tore through Sacramento on Monday, 97-83, to break a three-game losing skid. Here are three takes before three days off for the weary Grizz.
THREE-POINT TAKE
1. The Grizzlies badly needed to re-taste victory
After three straight double-digit losses, albeit to legit title contenders Cleveland, Golden State and San Antonio, Memphis needed a fresh taste of victory.
It wasn't the most-appealing of Monday match-ups, Memphis top defender Tony Allen missed the game due to a left hamstring strain and Kings center DeMarcus Cousins was rested. Then Rudy Gay, who was having himself a night in his former building, went to the locker room with 2 minutes, 23 seconds left in the third quarter after a hard collision with Gasol. He underwent concussion tests and did not return -- Kings coach George Karl said he believed it was a concussion.
A win was a win, against playoff-lost Sacramento (26-47) or not, to the reeling contenders.
"I thought Memphis was a very hungry team, needed a win," Karl said. "They knew they were in a bad place after three tough losses and they played with a lot of pride and a lot of heart."
Of nice-guy note, Gasol stayed off the ensuing fastbreak to check on Gay, who left with 24 points on 10-of-18 shooting.
Allen left Friday's loss to the Warriors and missed Sunday's loss at San Antonio, but the Grizzlies (51-24) have been MIA, as well, just 12-10 since the All-Star break. But after a win and Houston losing at Toronto, Memphis eased back into the West's No. 2 seed and has three straight at the Grindhouse, starting with the Thunder on Friday after three days rest. Memphis had 22 games in 37 nights.
Hungry, indeed. Allen made his way to the media table during the fourth quarter and inquired of the Rockets' result.
2. Jeff Green hits a hot streak
Grizzlies forward Jeff Green finished with 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting (second to Mike Conley's 18) and added four rebounds and four assists. Green has shot 50 percent or better in six of Memphis' last nine games.
"He's finding spots and guys are opening up spots for him," Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger said. "What we try to do is keep him above the foul line, extended, to be able to drive north and south. His athleticism, he's getting out and running, he's attacking the basket, the number of times he's driving the into the paint has gone up and up and up since he's been here. Obviously he's able to finish at a high rate around the basket, especially when he dunks it."
Lately, it has been a highlight dunk per night for Green. From further back, he hit 7 of 11 in a March 9 win at Chicago, but followed with a three-game total of 12-of-34 shooting. Since then, he has hit 51 of 100 shots. That includes 16 of 29 from deep. On and off the bench, he has double-digits in eight straight games. With a healthy club, Green's value will be valued most as the second unit's scorer.
3. Green not the only one catching fire
In 15 March games, guard Courtney Lee had scored double digits only three times. Since scoring 17 in a March 14 win against Milwaukee, he had shot 29 percent from the floor (12 of 41). He sat two games with a right hand sprain and missed all three of his shots after returning last week against Cleveland.
Monday, he had a 10-point game for the second straight night, going 5 of 10 from the floor.
"He's been aggressive the last three games, been looking forward to seeing that," Joerger said. "That's very good for us. He suffers the most when the ball doesn't move."
He took 11 shots Sunday, but had taken only 13 in three previous outings. He took five shots in the first half and made 2 of 3 in the second and 2 of 3 while playing all 12 minutes of the third quarter.
"That's the only way the rhythm is going to come," Lee said. "I'm just trying to work my way back into that rhythm and that's the only way it is going to come is to be aggressive and take those shots."
He said it is still work in progress, as one shot came off hard and the next was short.
STATS THAT MATTER
14 -- The number of minutes Kings forward Carl Landry played, his most in two weeks. He hadn't played in three straight games.
23 -- The Grizzlies had 23 assists on 38 made shots. Gasol had a team-high six.
STRAIGHT TALK
"I had my Darko moment. He's my man,"
-- Gasol on the jersey rip. Former Grizzly Darko Milicic did the same in 2008.
"More importantly, everyone played well."
-- Grizzlies center Kosta Koufos on his game-high 12 rebounds and 8 points.
