Maybe it was the dizzying contrast in the grains of wood used to design the court at the Target Center, or possibly the psychological effect of knowing it was less than 20 degrees and snowing outside, but the Grizzlies' inability to come through on the road reared its ugly head yet again on Monday against Minnesota.
Playing their third period of overtime in two nights, the Grizzlies went cold from the floor and dropped what should have been a winnable game to the Timberwolves 108-98.
The Grizzlies (10-21) got off to a dreadful start offensively and closed the game by shooting an equally ugly 2-of-13 in overtime. After pushing San Antonio to the limit, they continued their bad habit of following a good performance with a disappointing one. It was easy to get caught up in the Wolves' terrible record and think you didn't have to give 100 percent for 48, or 53, minutes. That is a very dangerous state of mind to adopt, as the Grizzlies found out against Oklahoma City. The Wolves (6-24) had won only twice at home this season. Why wouldn't they be motivated to give their fans something to cheer about?
Big Al Jefferson gave the thin Grizzlies lineup fits inside, going for a season-high 38 points and 16 rebounds, while O.J. Mayo scored 23 for the Grizzlies. The Grizzlies held an 84-79 lead in the final few minutes of the fourth quarter but let it slip away. After a 7-0 Wolves run, Mayo forced overtime with a shot in the lane.
Kyle Lowry recorded his second career double-double with 14 points and a career-high 12 assists.
The Grizzlies tied a franchise record on defense by holding the Wolves to eight points in the second quarter. Their 1-for-16 field goal performance in that quarter set a new Minnesota franchise record for futility.
I don't know what it will take for the Grizzlies to carry their pregame confidence into the game itself and actually win a game on the road, but they need to do some soul-searching and figure it out. While they are looking within, maybe they can find a way to put two good performances together instead of flushing away the knowledge that works.
Tonight they face the new-look Phoenix Suns, who are surprisingly near the top of the league in defense as well as offense this season. Jason Richardson and Amare Stoudemire will pose challenges for the Grizzlies, who must stay out of foul trouble, especially on the interior. The Grizzlies must match the Suns' intensity and must find ways to put the ball in the basket.
