With Randolph, Grizzlies not done
Overlooked vet key after Gasol injury
One way of looking at the injury to Marc Gasol, whose broken foot could cost him the rest of the season, is to pronounce the Memphis Grizzlies of the current era, particularly their NBA title aspirations, dead for good.
That itself has turned out to be premature many times over the last few years, most recently after the team shifted lineups in pursuit of an identity and found itself at .500 after 32 games.
But the Grizzlies have won 15 of their last 21 and have returned to a bruising style of play. Interestingly, the symbol for that era of Grizzlies basketball — 6-9, 260pound Zach Randolph — has continued his steady march onto and up the list of the top 100 scorers in NBA history with offensive weapons that simply aren’t talked about enough.
So whatever you think the Grizzlies can be over the final third of the season and however far you think they can advance in the playoffs with a roster and style of play that have zigged as the rest of the league has zagged, it is long past time for a proper appreciation of Randolph, an
NBA original and a throwback power forward who is every bit as entertaining as he’s always been.
“It’s going to be tough on everybody,” Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger said of the team’s adjustment without Gasol. “But Zach’s always up to the task. At 7 o’clock, he’s a warrior. He gives us everything he’s got. And we’re going to need him.
“For a guy who critics say he’s not this or he’s not enough of that, he’s a guy who just gets it done. He has some of the best hands I’ve ever seen. He’s got incredible feet. He’s a very competitive guy who finds a way to get it done.
“We’re going to need his clutchness the last six minutes of games. During games he can carry you, but down the stretch he really has a knack for going and getting it for you — how did he just score against three guys, and his feet never left the floor? We’ve worked together for a long time. I’ve seen him grow, not just in his game but as a family man, in our community. And he’s awesome.”
For a player who is considered the low-post alternative to more offensively traveled Gasol, Randolph has been scoring quite a bit from the perimeter.
Of his shot attempts entering Wednesday night’s game, 25% came between 16 feet out and the three-point line. And he made enough of them, 42.4%, that his overall shooting percentage on the season was 49%, up from his career line of 47.3%.
Put another way, supposedly burly Randolph, absent much vertical leap, has embraced the versatility his team needed, even before Gasol went down. This isn’t the first time he has done so, but it is remarkable that at 34 he hasn’t allowed any of his skills to erode.
“My skill set is big, man, and not enough people see it,” Randolph said. “I stay focused; I stay positive on my game. I work on my craft. For me, I can play out there, face up from 16 feet out. Usually they put their shooters out there on me. I guess I cause too much problems for the regular power forwards. So I take what the defense gives me.”
The way Randolph takes it is always fun to watch — for such a large man, he finds seams in the defense, almost sneaking into spots where he can deliver the necessary basket at the right time.
It is clear the Grizzlies have a top option to rely upon down the stretch in a playoff race where they are fifth but only five games up on the ninth spot.
If the Grizzlies do return to the postseason, Randolph isn’t just a veteran player hoping for a chance to play for that championship.
He’s a matchup the entire league, by virtue of going small, has largely given up on contesting.
“I guess it makes me special,” Randolph said. “The league is changing. They’re going to more stretch fours, more guys who aren’t really fours, just playing the four position. So having the high skill set and being an adjustable player, I can play in different systems.”
Joerger echoed this, pointing to Karl Malone and David West as models for what Randolph can do — essentially, it has been Gasol’s excellence in the high post that has kept observers from seeing how effective Randolph can be in that role.
But no longer. Randolph must be high and low, interior defender and help defender. The Grizzlies are dependent upon him.
And while Randolph expressed regret at the way it happened, he isn’t sorry about the chance to play more, do more and give more in pursuit of that championship, knowing that his opportunities are dwindling to a precious few.
“This is an opportunity,” he said. “Ultimately, I want to win a championship. That’s the first thing. So we have an opportunity in this league. Like a young fellow, JaMychal (Green), he goes from not playing to now starting. So you’ve got to be ready. People go down with injuries. You need to be ready to step up. Some games I played 20, some 25, some 30. I feel like I could play 35 minutes a night. And I would if I had to. Even 40 if I’ve got to.
“I still get my rest; I eat right. I’m ready.”