Grizzlies-Bulls Preview

By NOEY KUPCHAN
Posted Jan 19 2013 1:41AM

The Memphis Grizzlies got the best of the Chicago Bulls in a low-scoring affair last month.

Points could be even harder to come by this time around if Zach Randolph and Luol Deng can't play.

Memphis' Randolph and Chicago's Deng are both uncertain to be available Saturday night in what sets up as a defensive battle at the United Center.

Randolph had 10 points and 15 rebounds as Memphis (25-13) pulled out an ugly 80-71 win over Chicago (23-15) on Dec. 17. The Grizzlies, who shot 37.5 percent in that game, limited the Bulls to 37.3 percent and their fewest points this season.

While Memphis is giving up 89.8 points per game to rank second in the NBA, Chicago isn't far behind at 91.9. Neither team figures to light up the scoreboard Saturday, especially if Randolph and Deng don't suit up.

Averaging 16.4 points and 11.6 boards and leading the league with 25 double-doubles, Randolph was held out Friday against Sacramento with a strained back suffered two nights earlier. All five starters, though, scored in double figures for the Grizzlies, who beat the Kings 85-69 behind a stifling defensive display.

Memphis, which had allowed an average of 102.0 points in dropping its previous three games, limited Sacramento to a season-worst 34.1 percent from the field and surrendered its fewest points in 2012-13.

"It was a must-win game," said Marreese Speights, who had 10 points and nine boards while starting in place of Randolph. "We knew that before the game. We knew that (Thursday) when we had a team meeting. We knew we couldn't lose at home and get blown out like we did the last three games."

The Bulls could be in trouble if Deng is forced to miss time. The All-Star forward, averaging a team-high 17.4 points, tried to play through a sore right hamstring Friday at Boston but scored a season-low three points on 1-of-6 shooting before aggravating the injury and exiting late in the third quarter.

Chicago, though, overcame his absence thanks to another big effort from Carlos Boozer and Marco Belinelli's late-game heroics. The Italian hit an off-balance jumper with 3.1 seconds left in overtime to lift the Bulls past the Celtics 100-99.

"That's natural. I know it's a crazy shot, the fallaway. The ball went in," said Belinelli, who finished with 10 points off the bench.

While Belinelli may see more minutes with Deng's status up in the air, Jimmy Butler could also be asked to play a significant role. The second-year swingman scored half of his team's 12 points in OT, finishing with a career high-tying 13.

"It was really fun being out there with my guys. It's crazy they have me out there," Butler said. "They had faith in me. Whenever I scored a basket they kept yelling, 'Keep going Jimmy!'"

Winners of a season best-tying three straight and seven of nine, the Bulls appear to be hitting their stride thanks in large part to Boozer. The 11-year veteran, who had 19 points and a season-high 20 rebounds against Boston, is averaging 22.3 and 12.0 over his last 11 games - posting double-doubles in all but one.

Boozer has scored 20.3 points per game versus Memphis - his highest career mark against any foe.

While the Bulls have won five straight and 10 of 12 on the road, they've struggled a bit on their own court. Chicago has gone 11-10 at home, although the Grizzlies are 3-14 all-time at the United Center.

Grizzlies beat weary Bulls in OT, 85-82

Posted Jan 20 2013 12:21AM

CHICAGO (AP) The game plan was simple for the Grizzles in overtime: Utilize one of the most imposing front lines in the NBA.

Marc Gasol scored 19 points, Zach Randolph had 13 points and 19 rebounds, and Memphis beat the Chicago Bulls 85-82 on Saturday night.

Gasol and Randolph combined for seven of the nine overtime points for the Grizzlies.

"When we got into overtime we went to our horses, Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol. We played an inside-outside game. Our All-Star bigs took over the game," the Grizzlies' Tony Allen said.

Memphis scored the first six points of the extra period, Gasol's putback making it 82-76. The Bulls cut it to 83-80 on Jimmy Butler's layup and had a chance to tie, but Nate Robinson missed a 3-pointer with 25 seconds left.

Robinson made a layup with 6.6 seconds left, but Jerryd Bayless scored with 4.8 seconds remaining to make it 85-82. Carlos Boozer missed a 3 as time expired.

Chicago, playing its third consecutive overtime game in four days, didn't have enough in overtime. The Bulls played without forward Luol Deng and had to fight back from a 17-point, third-quarter deficit.

Butler, starting in place of Deng, scored a career-high 18 points and Boozer added 17 as the Bulls had a three-game winning streak snapped.

"It was nerve-wrecking at first. I was rushing things. Joakim (Noah) and Booz told me to calm down and play like you are coming off the bench," Butler said of his first career start.

The Bulls shot just 3 for 10 in overtime, but forward Taj Gibson didn't blame fatigue for the loss.

"You just have to play through it. We had a chance to win this game in the fourth. We had a couple of times to take advantage in overtime," Gibson said. "We had some bad shots in the game and we couldn't rebound the ball late. Even though we won the rebounding battle, we gave up too many offensive rebounds."

The Bulls are 3-1 in overtime this season. The three consecutive overtime games are the first in franchise history.

Chicago played without Noah in the fourth quarter and overtime.

"That's just a coaching decision," Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said.

It was one that surprised Randolph.

"I was wondering why they kept Noah out," he said.

Noah left without talking to reporters.

Robinson banked in a 3 with 1:33 left in regulation to give Chicago a 75-72 lead, then Gasol scored four consecutive points to get Memphis the lead back at 75-74. Marco Belinelli split a pair of free throws to tie the game at 76 with 31.4 seconds to play. After Randolph missed an 18-footer with 4.9 seconds left, Robinson missed a 21-footer as time expired, sending the game into overtime.

"Offensive rebounding ultimately got us the win. We were battling and battling. They made some tough defensive plays and then we finished off the possession with an offensive rebound and they couldn't finish it off with a defensive rebound," said Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins.

After trailing by 17 early in the third quarter, the Bulls cut it to five early in the fourth quarter, but Memphis quickly answered. Allen made a pair of free throws and Mike Conley had a steal and layup to make it 64-55 with 9:30 left before the Bulls rallied.

"In the overtime, we moved the ball better. We created some open shots and we kept attacking the paint," Gasol said. "I think they got too many easy buckets and that's why they got back in the game. Too many of those."

Memphis has won two straight after dropping three in a row.

Rudy Gay finished with 16 points and Conley had 13 points and nine assists.

Trailing 30-25 midway through the second quarter, the Grizzlies scored 13 unanswered points to take a 38-30 lead with 1:57 left in the half. Gay scored six straight points in the span.

Memphis led 44-34 at the half. Conley scored 10 points in the half and Gasol had nine. Boozer and Noah led the Bulls with 10 points apiece. Chicago was just 5-for-18 shooting in the second quarter and committed six turnovers.

"In the second quarter we got in a big hole," Thibodeau said. "That went into the third quarter and we could not get organized. The group that went in there battled back and we wanted to ride it to see if we could climb back into it."

After Boozer's basket opened up the third quarter, Allen capped off an 8-0 run with a dunk to extend the lead to 52-36. Gay's jumper gave Memphis a 54-37 lead, its largest of the game.

Randolph, who missed Friday's win over Sacramento with a sore back, played 41 minutes.

"He got all of his work done without having to dominate the ball. He just did it all with dirty work. Offensive and defensive glass," said Conley.

Deng, averaging a team-high 17.4 points, tried to play through a sore right hamstring in Friday's overtime win at Boston but scored a season-low three points on 1-of-6 shooting before aggravating the injury and exiting late in the third quarter.

NOTES: The Grizzlies swept the season series. ... Deng is listed day-to-day and there are no plans for an MRI.

Notebook: Grizzlies 85, Bulls 82

Kent McDill, for NBA.com
Posted Sun Jan 20, 2013 12:13 AM - Updated Sun Jan 20, 2013 12:13 AM

THE FACTS: After giving up a 17-point lead in the second half, the visiting Memphis Grizzlies scored the first six points of overtime and held on for an 85-82 victory in a taffy pull of a basketball game. The Bulls scored just 25 points in the second and third quarters combined, but erased a 13-point lead in the fourth quarter to force their third consecutive overtime game. Marc Gasol had 19 points to lead the Grizzlies. They also got 13 points and 19 rebounds from Zach Randolph, who sat out Friday's game against Sacramento because of a strained back.

THE FACTS II: The Bulls played the game without All-Star forward Luol Deng, who was out with a strained hamstring. Second-year forward Jimmy Butler got his first career start and scored 18 points with eight rebounds and three steals.

QUOTABLE: "We expected a tough game tonight because they are one of the best defensive teams in the league. I just wanted to have one or two more points than they did at the end."

-- Memphis guard Mike Conley

THE STAT: In the second and third quarters combined, the Bulls made only nine of 37 shots (24.3 percent) for their 25 points. The Grizzlies scored only 32 points in the second half, making only 12 of 37 shots (32.4 percent).

THE STAT II: In the fourth quarter, the Grizzlies made only four of 16 shots, scoring as many points from the line as they did from the field (eight points each).

THE STAT III: Nine of Randolph's 19 rebounds were on the offensive board, and some of those were from his own misses, as he went 6-for-20 from the field.

TURNING POINT: At the start of overtime, Randolph rebounded his own miss and scored, stole the ball right out of the hands of Bulls forward Carlos Boozer, missed a layup which teammate Marc Gasol rebounded and turned into another basket. Gasol hit an outside jumper after a Bulls missed shot to build an 82-76 lead.

INJURY UPDATE: Deng is listed as day-to-day with his strained hamstring.

HOT: Gasol was 7-for-10 from the field for his 19 points.

NOT: The entire Bulls team went 31-for-85 from the field (36.5 percent). Carlos Boozer was 7-for-19 and also had five of the team's 15 turnovers in the game.

QUOTABLE II: "We set the NBA back a few decades."

-- Memphis coach Lionel Hollins, referring to the poor offensive showing by both teams

QUOTABLE III: "They outplayed us for three quarters. We got it going in the fourth."

-- Bulls forward Jimmy Butler

GOOD MOVE: Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau played a small lineup, with Boozer at center, for the entire fourth quarter, and that group erased the 13-point Grizzlies lead and forced overtime.

BAD MOVE: Thibodeau used the same lineup to start the overtime period and those players appeared gassed as they let the game slip away.

GOOD MOVE-BAD MOVE II: Trailing 83-80 with 12.2 seconds remaining in overtime, Thibodeau inserted seldom-used 6-foot-10 forward Vladimir Radmanovich to stand in front of Memphis guard Rudy Gay on an inbounds play. Gay failed to get the ball in play in time and was called for a five-second violation, giving the Bulls one last chance to tie the game.

NOTABLE: Bulls center Joakim Noah, who had only 10 points and five rebounds in 26+ minutes of play, did not play in the final 22 minutes of the game (Thibodeau called it a "coaching decision"). ... Boozer was whistled for entering the lane early on a third-quarter free throw (made) by teammate Taj Gibson. ... This was the first time in Bulls' regular season history that they played three consecutive overtime games; they played three consecutive overtime games (six overtime periods) against the Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs in 2009. ... the Bulls are 11-11 at home this season... Bulls backup forward Taj Gibson had a double-double with 12 rebounds and 10 points... Grizzlies guard Mike Conley just missed a double-double with 13 points and nine assists, but added three steals and three blocks.

UP NEXT: For the Bulls, Monday vs. L.A. Lakers, Wednesday vs. Detroit, Friday vs. Golden State; For the Grizzlies, Monday vs. Indiana, Wednesday vs. L.A. Lakers, Friday vs. Brooklyn.

• Grizzlies: Pondexter
• Bulls: Rose

• Grizzlies: --
• Bulls: --

• Lead Changes: 13
• Times Tied: 8

• Arena: United Center, Chicago, IL
• Officials: #49 Tom Washington, #34 Kevin Cutler, #38 Michael Smith
• Attendance: 22124
• Duration: 2:43