Jackson sizzles as the resurgent Bobcats outshine the Grizzlies 96-82
The Grizzlies had won three of their last four games against the Los Angeles Lakers, Oklahoma City Thunder and Utah Jazz - three perennial playoff teams. On the night though, the Memphis offence completely froze in front of a resurgent Charlotte Bobcats
team, who are growing hotter by the day under their new coach Paul Silas.
It was a chilly night in North Carolina and only 1000 die-hard fans braved the cold to reach the Time Warner Cable Arena to watch the home team in action. Stephen Jackson however, set the chilly arena alight as he led the Grizzlies offence with 27 points,
six rebounds and four steals.
"We knew we had a job to do, that's come out and play and get a win regardless," Jackson said. "You can't expect everybody to come out in his weather and drive."
D.J. Augustin continued his excellent run, which started with the departure of former coach Larry Brown, by adding 18 points and nine assists. Meanwhile, Matt Carroll pulled off a season-best 12 points and a robust performance in defence, to marshal the
Bobcats to their third consecutive triumph.
Fresh off his first Player of the Week award in a career spanning over 10 years, Zach Randolph - one of the league’s most prolific post scorers and rebounders - had 15 points and a match-high 15 rebounds. His efforts though were stifled as the cold-shooting
Grizzlies fell 96-82 in Charlotte to the Bobcats.
The Grizzlies failed to show the spark they have showcased against the league’s elite teams recently. The team missed 33 of its 42 shots and finished with a conversion rate of 39 percent from the field, 20 percent from the long-range and 54.5 percent from
the charity stripe.
Rudy g*y was held to 13 points on 5-of-16 shooting, and Mike Conley's 13 points came on 6-of-17 shooting. Meanwhile, O.J. Mayo missed seven of eight shots as the Grizzlies went down without a fight against the very team they thrashed by a mammoth 33 points,
just a month ago.
The Bobcats romped into action with all guns blazing. They settled into their groove quickly, and after a 4-2 deficit early in the game, never trailed throughout the match. Jackson was at his best coming into the match, scoring the first seven points for
his team to set the tone early. Soon D.J. Augustin followed as the Bobcats raced to a 22-15 advantage by the end of the first quarter.
The Bobcats onslaught ensued in the second quarter, as the visitors continued to struggle big-time with their shooting. Memphis drained one shot after another, as Boris Diaw turned a jumper in to hand Charlotte a 40-22 lead with 2:59 to go until the break.
The cold-shooting jinx that saw starters Rudy g*y, Mike Conley and Tony Allen combining for 0-of-15 from the field, was finally halted with 34 seconds remaining until half time, when g*y made a lay-up. Randolph followed with another seconds later as Memphis
trailed 31-44 heading into the break.
The Grizzlies offence finally came to life in the second half. However, every time they looked to get within striking distance, the Bobcats always came prepared with a counter-punch. The teams headed into the final period with the Bobcats hanging on to a
68-57 lead. Matt Carroll quickly turned it into an 18-point advantage as he pounded 5 in a 7-point unanswered spurt.
Charlotte followed it with another 10-2 run before the midway mark, and then completely put the game away with a 6-2 spurt minutes later, sprinting to their biggest lead of the match at 91-68 with four minutes to go.
The Grizzlies scored on seven of their next eleven possessions, but never posed any real threat as the Bobcats breezed away with a 96-82 win. Rudy g*y summed up the night for the Grizzlies after the match by saying, "We took bad shots, missed them. They
took good shots, made them. That was the game."
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