GOLDEN WIN FOR GRIZZLIES
Memphis notches 50th victory with win over
San Antonio at FedExForum.
Just 6.2 seconds left, game tied and no Rudy Gay in sight. So who’s going to take the last shot for the Memphis Grizzlies?
That would be one Michael Conley. “I saw a gap,” he said. He was through it in a blink.
He took the bump from San Antonio’s Danny Green. That extra muscle Conley packed on during the offseason did its thing.
“A year ago, I might have fallen,” he said. “I might have tripped up and not stayed on my feet.”
He stayed on his feet. He kissed the ball high off the glass, then watched it drop through the basket for the win.
So who’s going to make that last shot for the Grizzlies?
That would be one Michael Conley.
Conley’s driving basket lifted the Grizzlies over the San Antonio Spurs for their 50th win of the season Monday. The stat sheet will tell you that Conley did not register a steal for the first time in 65 games. Do not believe it for a moment. The guy stole the whole darn game.
He stole a game that the Grizzlies could not afford to lose, if they intended on keep up with the Denver Nuggets and the Los Angeles Clippers in the sprint — and with just eight games left, it is a sprint — for third place in the Western Conference. He stole a game that, for the longest time, the Grizzlies seemed destined to fritter away.
The Spurs didn’t have
Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili or Kawhi Leonard. But the Grizzlies didn’t have any zip.
Said Grizzlies head coach Lionel Hollins: “We looked like we had played last night instead of San Antonio playing last night.”
There was Tiago Splitter, beating the Grizzlies big men down the floor. There was Stephen Jackson, dropping in a 3 whenever the Grizzlies dared to draw close.
If it hadn’t been for the scoring and derring- do of Jerryd Bayless — who had 17 on the night, 8 in the fourth quarter — the Grizzlies wouldn’t have even kept it close.
Then came Conley. And how much fun is it to watch what he has become? Remember the when he was regularly ridiculed on sports talk shows? Remember when everyone wanted to trade him away?
Conley is now the longest-tenured Memphis player. He’s as nice as you could possibly want. He’s also one of two indispensable Grizzlies — Marc Gasol being the other — and the guy who has apparently replaced Gay as the go-to Griz.
Monday, he came through twice in the final minute. With 42.8 seconds left, the Grizzlies took a timeout, down by 3. During the timeout, Conley approached Bayless, who would get the ball out of bounds.
“Man, if you get a get a chance, I’m going to be at the top of the key waiting for you,” Conley said.
Bayless drove left, dragging the Spurs defenders along with him.
“I was just trying to bait them,” Bayless said. “That’s why I kept it alive so long, bait ’em and bait ’em, until Mike had time to get it off.”
Bayless swung the ball to Conley, as directed. Conley drained the shot to tie it up. When Tony Parker missed a jumper with 7.9 seconds left, the Grizzlies had their chance to win the thing.
It’s not the first time Conley has hit a game winner, of course. Remember when he blew by Shaq to beat LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in December of 2009? But back then, it was considered stunning that Hollins would go to Conley in that situation. Now it seemed like the most natural thing in the world.
So with eight games left, the Grizzlies have drawn into a tie with the Nuggets for third place in the Western Conference. Credit the point guard who never stopped working to be the player many didn’t believe he could be.
As for the end of that streak of games with at least one steal? Conley grinned. “I’ll start another one.” To reach Geoff Calkins call 901-529-2364 or e-mail calkins@commercialappeal.
ROCKETS 111, MAGIC 103