Post-Game Report: Grizzlies vs. Warriors - Jan. 3, 2007
Mike Miller hit nine treys in the game.
Joe Murphy/NBAE/Getty Images
Interim Head Coach Tony Barone Sr. wants the Grizzlies to run and get easy baskets. But even he couldn't have foreseen what transpired in tonight's game.
Pick pretty much any record in team history, and it was shattered tonight in an offensive display never before seen at a Grizzlies game. Points by each team, combined points, three-pointers, individual records, they all fell tonight as the Grizzlies beat the Golden State Warriors 144-135 in a wild game at FedExForum.
Consider this: In 2003 the Grizzlies and Bulls set a franchise record for combined points in a half when they had 134. Tonight, that record was broken- twice. The Grizzlies and Warriors topped it with 135 total points in the first half, then obliterated it with 144 in the second half, including 43 Grizzlies points in the fourth quarter, a franchise record for scoring in a quarter.
Of course, the team's 144 points was a record, breaking the overall record by eight points and the regulation scoring record by a laughable 16 points.
"We got tired halfway through the third quarter. I saw some eyes starting to cross in the huddle. So I asked them, 'OK, would you like for me to start calling plays here on in?' They said no. So I said, 'OK, then start running again.' "There's no magic in coaching," said Barone.
The numbers got even more ridiculous from three-point range. Mike Miller hit nine treys, a Grizzlies team record, which also gave him a total of 23 over the last three games. He finished with 33 points on the night, the most by a Grizzlies player this season.
"Every once in a while it's good to be lucky," said Miller. "I'm just making some shots, which is good. But you have to give credit to the guys who are setting screens and the point guards who are pushing the ball. I'm doing the easy thing, they're doing the hard stuff."
"I have never seen a player make shots like Mike Miller did today," said Barone. "I told him that he has to stop hitting the rim. Every shot he took, I was mesmerized. Dribble the ball, throw it to him" "that's the play."
Meanwhile, Golden State hit 18 threes on 46 attempts, both records by a Grizzlies opponent. Their 46 three-point attempts almost doubled their 24 free throw attempts. Matt Barnes was the main gunner, scoring a career-high 36 points on 7-16 shooting from behind the arc.
Going down the boxscore, it seems every player put up incredible numbers, with six Grizzlies in double figures, four of them with 20+. In addition to Miller�s 33, Stromile Swift had 26 points, nine rebounds, four blocks, three steals and two assists. Pau Gasol had 24 points and 13 rebounds. Damon Stoudamire had 18 points, and dished out a season-high 16 assists, with just one turnover. Rudy Gay had 22 points, and Chucky Atkins added 18.
The Warriors had seven players in double figures: Barnes' 36, followed by Baron Davis with 22 points (along with 13 assists, seven rebounds and just one turnover), 16 from Mike Dunleavy, 15 from both Mickael Pietrus and Kelenna Azubuike, 12 from Andris Biedrins and 11 from Keith McLeod.
Amazingly, in a game in which the Grizzlies scored 144 points, they only committed 11 turnovers. The Warriors were equally stingy with the ball, committing just 12 miscues.