After falling behind by as many as 22 points, the Grizzlies stormed back to stun the Thunder and their enthusiastic home crowd with a 108-102 win.
The Grizzlies (7-15) did not get off to a good start in the first quarter, which was a reflection of their overall mental struggles away from FedEx Forum. Not even the thought of payback could reverse that trend.
But the Grizzlies began their rally late in the second quarter rather than the fourth, and they made up for nearly every bad play from the game’s early minutes with a spectacular one. While they still trailed entering halftime, they were able to turn a disheartening 20+ point deficit into a manageable 55-48 score.
The bench was dominated by the Thunder (2-21) in the first half, but the Thunder also shot an unreal 64 percent from the floor while the Grizzlies shot only 29 percent. Obviously, neither of those stats would hold up for an entire game. The Grizzlies’ bench play was the key to their success coming into the matchup, and in the end it brought them back.
Quinton Ross was his usual self and Mike Conley shook off his shooting struggles and showed the potential that attracted the Grizzlies to him, but Greg Buckner provided the most damage. I’m sure the Thunder knew Ross was the Grizzlies’ “secret weapon”, but they couldn’t have expected Buckner to have such an impact on the game.
Conley scored 14 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter and Buckner hit 3-of-5 shots in 18 minutes of action to help the Grizzlies take the lead in the second half.
Rudy Gay led the team with 22 points.
The Grizzlies attacked the basket with aggression, getting to the line 33 times to the Thunder’s 30. They made 26 of their attempts.
The third quarter ended up even, but that was a major accomplishment given the way the Grizzlies had struggled in the first half and have struggled all year long in that period. The Grizzlies outscored the Thunder in the paint in the third 14-4 and also held an advantage at the free throw line, allowing them to cut into the lead with the clock stopped.
The Grizzlies opened the fourth with an 11-2 run and closed it with a 9-2 spurt to complete the comeback.
With the win, the Grizzlies have won back-to-back games for the first time this season, and they have done it in an impressive fashion. Their road record is now 2-10.
Next up, the Grizzlies will go for three in a row as they look for payback against the Chicago Bulls at FedEx Forum on Friday. The Bulls beat the Grizzlies in Chicago on Nov. 1, 96-86.
