Posted 1/30 at 11:05 PM
In the tale of two halves, the Grizzlies controlled every aspect of the game in the first half, but were unable to hold on to a big second half lead and fell to the visiting New Orleans Hornets in overtime 109-102.
The Grizzlies watched their 21 point second half lead slowly erode over the course of the third and fourth quarters and into overtime where the Hornets put an end to the Grizzlies 11 game home winning streak.
Despite their struggles in the second half the Grizzlies had a chance to win the game with what should have been the last possession and the game timed at 97, but O.J. Mayo was called for a traveling with four seconds remaining, giving the ball back to the Hornets. The Hornets were unable to capitalize on the unexpected possession at the end of regulation, but controlled the overtime frame, as the Grizzlies struggled to hit 2-of-13 shots from the field in the overtime session.
The loss drops the Grizzlies to 25-21 on the season, while the Hornets moved to 26-21 a half game ahead of Memphis in the Western Conference.
Coming into a contest with such importance on the standings the Grizzlies had to have been delighted to hear the news that Hornets franchise cornerstone Chris Paul (left knee bruise) and king of clutch James Posey (strained right achillies) would miss tonight’s contest with injuries.
The Grizzlies fell behind 6-0 early, but quickly took advantage of a Hornets team that was missing their best player and arguably the best point guard in the NBA by controlling the paint with what many consider to be the best power forward/ center combination in the league. Recently named All-Star Zach Randolph played like one in the first, scoring 11 points, while Marc Gasol added 10 first quarter points and five rebounds to set the tone.
Randolph and Gasol keyed a 33-12 stretch that established the Grizzlies offense and reiterated the fact that FedExForum has become one of the toughest places to play in the NBA.
Grizzlies Head Coach Lionel Hollins opened the second quarter with a seven-foot pairing of Gasol and Thabeet to further their commitment to dominating inside. The strategy worked, as the Hornets only legitimate offensive threat in the first half, David West, found his opportunities limited with the extra length on the floor.
The Grizzlies maintained a comfortable double digit advantage for much of the second thanks in part to an impressive shooting performance from O.J. Mayo, who connected on 5-of-6 from the field in the quarter helping the Grizzlies hover just above .600 from the field. The Grizzlies closed the half strong on an 11-2 run to take a 61-42 lead into the break.
In the third quarter it became apparent that for all the lessons that these Grizzlies have learned this season, they are still working on putting teams away for good. The Grizzlies allowed the Hornets to chip away at what was at one point a 21 point advantage throughout the third quarter, closing to 81-76 by the end of the quarter.
Part of the reason for the Hornets comeback was the fact that the Grizzlies allowed Emeka Okafor and Peja Stojakovic to get going offensively. The two who had combined for six points in the first half scored 24 points collectively in the third quarter alone to key the comeback. Rookie Darren Collison also became a problem for the Grizzlies in the third quarter, dishing out a Chris Paul-like nine assists in the quarter to control the tempo of the game.
The Grizzlies got beat at their own game in the third, allowing the Hornets to outscore them 24-14 in points in the paint in the quarter.
In the fourth the temp continued to favor the Hornets, who limited the Grizzlies to only two fast break points. By the 7:47 mark in the fourth the Hornets had come all the way back on a Darius Songalia layup that timed the game at 85 apiece. The Grizzlies recovered and took a four point lead on a pair of free-throws by Rudy Gay that gave the Grizzlies a 97-93 lead with 1:10 remaining, but the Grizzlies would not score the rest of the way in regulation, as the Hornets forced overtime.
In the overtime the Grizzlies scored first on a Jamaal Tinsley layup, but that would be their last advantage the rest of the way. They closed the score to 103-102 on a three-point play by Zach Randolph, but the Hornets answered with a layup from Marcus Thornton and the Grizzlies did not score the rest of the way.
Randolph and Gasol each had 25 points to lead all scorers. Gasol tied his career high with 16 rebounds as well. Mayo added 17 points and eight rebounds in the losing effort. Collison finished the game with 17 points and a Hornets rookie franchise record 18 assists.
Posted 1/30 at 11:05 PM
NBA.COM is part of the Turner Sports and Entertainment Digital Network.
Advertise on NBA.com | Career Opportunities | Help
This was a BAD loss and will hurt for awhile. What makes it more painful is the Hornets were without two of their best players in JP & CP3. This is a young team that obviously must learn how to keep a lead, especially if they hope to make the playoffs.
GO GRIZZ!!