Memphis Grizzlies overcome Orlando Magic 100-97 – (Part 1)
Orlando Coach Stan Van Gundy has been quite effusive about his team’s falling standards despite holding onto a winning record.
On Monday night he suffered another headache as the Magic again found themselves in trouble midway through the game against Memphis. This time though they never managed to recover as they surrendered to the high-flying Grizzlies 100-97.
A disappointed Stan Van Gundy said after the game, "Again, we dug ourselves a big hole and ... we fought back and came up short. It's becoming some of the same old story all the time."
Going into the match, the red hot Grizzlies who have now won six of their last seven encounters, knew that Rudy g*y and Zach Randolph were going to be doubled in the post. So their coach Lionel Hollins told Mike Conley to be more aggressive at the net.
The explosive shooting guard obliged big time.
"He told me I had to go for 30, and I tried, I tried." Conley said of Hollins post-match. "I did what it took to win."
Conley pounded 26 points and 11 assists in nearly 37 minutes of play. The fourth-year pro went 9-of-14 from the field and complemented it with 4-of-5 from downtown, as he helped Memphis quell a late fight back by Orlando on Monday night. It was the first
time he had more than 20 points and 10 assists in the same game.
While Dwight Howard and his team made it hard for Randolph and g*y to score, they left the lanes open for the rest and Conley was not the only beneficiary. Marc Gasol also had a hot shooting night. The 7ft 1in centre made good on nine of his 11 attempts
from the court, pounding 19 points and also grabbing eight rebounds.
On a night when he earned his second player of the week award in the month, Zach Randolph faced the stiffest resistance possible at the post. The Magic entered with a plan to clamp him down and executed it to perfection, nipping his run of 14 consecutive
double-doubles. Rudy g*y on the other hand continued his shooting woes.
However, to the credit of the explosive duo they passed the ball on rather than persisting with the attempt, when they were not getting clear scoring opportunities. Their selfless play completely took the Magic by surprise as they failed to contain the Grizzlies.
Grizzlies centre Marc Gasol praised the pair after the game. He said, "You have to give a lot of credit to Rudy and Zach for not forcing shots, for not getting nervous, knowing that it was going to be a game like that. They got rid of it. They found the
open guy and the guys were making their shots."
Randolph finished with only 10 points and nine boards while Rudy g*y had 13. Sam Young also had 10 points to ensure that all the Grizzlies starters featured in double figures while Darrell Arthur came off the bench to score 14 points. The impressive win
marked the first time that Memphis improved to above .500 (25-24) since 30th October.
The Orlando Magic had six players in double figures, and had more attempts at the ring and a clear advantage on the glass. The difference on the night though, proved to be their erratic conversion rate. They were shooting 63 percent in the first quarter,
but slowly cooled off in the second before going stone cold in the third quarter. The Magic made just five of 16 shots which left them with a task so momentous, that even their final quarter heroics couldn’t save them.
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