Dwyane who?
That’s the attitude the Grizzlies’ O.J. Mayo took on Sunday as he suffocated Miami’s All-Star guard Dwyane Wade, the NBA’s top scorer. Wade, who entered the game averaging 29.1 ppg, finished with 17 on 5-of-16 shooting as the Grizzlies won their fourth straight game, 102-86. Mayo, on the other hand, backed up his stellar defensive effort by scoring 28 points in 40 minutes. It was the first time this season that the Grizzlies have won a game in which Mayo led them in scoring.
The Grizzlies (9-15) opened the third quarter with a 16-6 run after playing the Heat to a draw in the first half. They really seem to be shaking off the mental block that haunted them in the third quarter through the first month of the season. I’m not sure what has brought about the change in attitude other than the players simply realizing they needed to play harder.
The Grizzlies that have taken the floor for these past four games are a playoff team. If they continue to play with this kind of determination and confidence, they can definitely compete for a playoff spot in the West. Right now, everyone in the Southwest Division is on a roll, so they haven’t been able to climb very far in the standings. The main factor in the team’s confidence right now is the fact that they are playing at home. With the exception of the Oklahoma City game, every game in this streak has been at FedEx Forum. Still, it’s nice to see they can defend their home court, even against a middle-of-the-road Eastern Conference team. If they can figure out a way to get off to a good start in a road game and keep their shooting touch, they could be a very good team.
The Grizzlies released veteran forward Antoine Walker and signed Darius Miles recently. Walker never played a minute for the team after coming over in a trade with Miami. Miles showed promise as a flashy rookie with the L.A. Clippers and had a few good years in the league, but has missed a couple of years with substance abuse issues. It sounds like he is committed to basketball now, so he should be a great addition once he gets back into his playing form.
The Grizzlies face a formidable challenge Tuesday as the New Orleans Hornets come to town. The Hornets handled the Grizzlies rather easily when the two teams met in the Big Easy on Dec. 6, winning 106-87.
Keywords: Antoine Walker, Darius Miles, Dwyane Wade, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, O.J. Mayo
