Gametime: Grizzlies vs. Suns - Apr. 11, 2012

Gametime

After the Suns scored 42 points in the paint in the first half, the Grizzlies restrained the frontcourt to only 14 in the second half… The Grizzlies’ defense contained the Suns’ scoring in the final half, limiting Phoenix to shoot .368 (14-of-38 FG) from the floor, after the Suns shot .585 (24-of-41) in the opening half.

After a Sebastian Telfair lay-up tied the game (87-87) with 6:28 remaining in the fourth quarter, the Grizzlies responded with a 17-6 run to end the game.

Rudy Gay led with 32 points in the Grizzlies' 104-93 home win over the Suns on Wednesday. Zach Randolph scored 17 points and O.J. Mayo had 15. Next, the Grizzlies travel to San Antonio on Thursday to take on the Spurs at 7:30 p.m.

Even at the age of 38, Steve Nash has shown no signs of slowing down. In his 16th season, Nash is averaging 12.7 points and 11.3 assists while shooting a career-high .537 from the floor. He will going up against the NBA steals leader in Grizzlies guard Mike Conley, who is averaging 2.4 per game.

“We were better in the pick and role defensively. We changed our scheme against them and we got in the paint. Our defense was much better in the second half. Our activity, being in the paint, being up on the pick and roll was much better and they were up shooting 36 percent in the second half and that was great defense. You have to give Phoenix kudos, they are scratching and clawing to get into that last playoff spot and they came in ready to play. I told our guys at the end, the reason you play two ends is because there are no shut outs and if we couldn’t score tonight we would of lost that game because we wouldn’t have been able to come back. The fact that we were scoring, we stayed ahead, then we figured out how to stop them defensively, and we expanded the lead. We kept it at that distance for the rest of the game.”

“Rudy (Gay) was really good. He made some outstanding decisions on shot selection. He was on- point all night offensively and defensively. We need that from him. We went to Zach (Randolph) down the stretch in the fourth quarter. Not down the stretch, in the fourth quarter to get us to down the stretch. He helped carry us in then we went back to Rudy. Dante (Cunningham) did an outstanding job. When Marc (Gasol) got his fifth foul Zach came in with Dante and maintained the defense at a higher level. Mike (Conley) did a great job in the second half defensively.”

“The reality was Channing Frye didn’t have a good game and they went with Markieff Morris. Everybody else played their normal minutes but sometimes you have to roll when you are behind and get back without expanding into the starters. Sometimes you just go to the bench and say “ok let’s see if we can get back with those guys” and they kept it close, eventually the starters came back but the margins stayed the same.”

“He is attacking the basket and jumping better. He has lost some weight, working on his conditioning, and he is being more effective. Being back is not the same as being effective. Just being back and running up and down the court, I could go out there and run up and down the court but I won’t make a difference in the game. Since he has gone back to the bench I think we are nine and two and Zach has been a big part of that just about every game. I talked to him yesterday regarding the look that we have with him coming off the bench. It gives us great balance with him and Juice (O.J. Mayo) coming off the bench.”

“It’s a big game. We really can’t lose right now. We’re going to keep pushing and pushing. We’re just taking them as another team. Obviously, it’s going to be a little emotional being that we’ve been there and have a little history with them. The biggest thing is just trying to keep these wins up.”

“I just try to make the best plays possible to help the team, no matter what. Trying to stay within our offense and get what I can out of it.”

“It’s getting down to the wire. Everybody is fighting for position. It’s fun that everybody is playing for something. It’s one of those seasons where no matter from here until the playoffs, it’s going to be like a playoff game.”

“I think we’re real confident enough to play wherever. We’ve been a good team on the road, as well as at home. It doesn’t really matter. We just really need to get there and then figure out how we’re going to play, no matter what.”

“I feel like I’m getting there. Just trying to do stuff after the games and when we practice, do extra conditioning.”

“It’s all about winning. As long as we win, that’s all that matters. It was real important for us. Crash the boards to get rebounds and try to get in and get put-backs and second chances.”

“We definitely stopped them from getting into the lane defensively. We just went into Z-Bo (Zach Randolph) and Rudy Gay to get some buckets. We really picked it up on the defensive end.”

“The key thing is making sure you don’t get so much into their style of play that you forget to play defense, and the first half it was kind of like that. The second half, we knew that we could get a lot of stops and continue scoring.”

“They have won two out of three. They do a great job of spreading the floor. Nash is a great point guard. He surrounds himself with a lot of shooters. I thought we picked it up in the second half.”