Thunder Never Trail In Big Win Over Memphis
By Randy Renner, Senior Writer
Wow, what a difference a couple of weeks can make.
When the Thunder last played the Grizzlies in Memphis on December 29th they were dominated inside and blown out 114-80. That’s the game Russell Westbrook picked up two quick technicals and was ejected without getting an assist.
Last night inside The Peake everything was different. The Thunder never trailed, dominated the Grizz on the glass, Westbrook had a dozen assists as part of his 18th triple double of the season (and first ever against Memphis) and the Thunder won the game 103-95.
“I’m really happy with the way our guys responded on both ends of the floor,” said head coach Billy Donovan. “The game was really, really physical for both teams. I thought it was a really great job for our guys from start to finish coming off the last time we played them.”
Westbrook had 24 points and 13 rebounds to go along with those 12 assists and was his typical ho-hum, matter-of-fact self when it came to describing the way he played.
“Just reading and reacting to the game. Gotta play that way and just take what the defense gives you.”
The Thunder were determined to at least match and at times overwhelm the Grizzlies at their own game which is being ultra physical.
Center Steven Adams had one of the best and most important plays of the night, helping to snuff out a potential Grizz rally late in the game. After a Mike Conley steal Adams raced back and actually beat Conley to the lane forcing him back outside then Adams managed to stay with him and partially block a 3-point attempt.
Talk about impressing your head coach.
“Yeah it was an incredible play by Steven,” Donovan said. “He sprints all the way back, he cuts Conley off he stays down instead to go for the pump fake. He goes all the way out he’s got to guard him off the dribble, great contest without fouling, extended arm tips the ball and it was a huge play. And that’s what it takes, you know from a winning perspective is you got to do multiple things and that was a great, great example of doing multiple things.”
The Thunder out-rebounded the Grizzlies 53-39 and held them to just 41.3 percent shooting overall and 29.2 percent (7-for-24) on threes. In that previous game Memphis shot 52.4 percent overall and 59.1 percent (13-for-22) from beyond the arc.
“I give our guys a lot of credit,” Donovan said, “Just the resiliency, the perseverance and the fight and the battle to do the things physically that were going to go into winning the game.”
Adams said it was something the team knew it had to do if they were going to have hope of staying with the Grizzlies much less beating them.
“Pretty much physicality, mate. That’s what we try to do. That was our main focus coming in. Memphis is known to be physical so we just tried to match that and take it to another level. It was just one of those grind out games man. It was good that the boys stuck with it. We got lucky on some stuff and came out with it.”
Adams battled all night with Marc Gasol and held him to just nine points (less than half his average) on 4-for-12 shooting. Adams scored 12 but his efficiency was off a bit (6-for-13) because of Gasol’s defense.
Enes Kanter, had some trouble hitting his shots too (8-for-18) but he still managed a double-double with 19 points and 13 rebounds. Victor Oladipo added 16 and Jerami Grant dropped in 10 including a couple of highlight dunks.
The win moves OKC a half game ahead of Memphis and into a tie with Utah for 5th place in the Western Conference and within a couple of games of the Clippers in 4th place.
The Thunder will practice Thursday before flying to Minnesota where they begin a six-game road trip.