Hornets.com postgame: Grizzlies 96, Hornets 85
By: Jim Eichenhofer, Hornets.com, @Jim_Eichenhofer
Grizzlies (42-19), Hornets (21-42)
It was over when… Tayshaun Prince threw down a left-handed dunk off a pretty assist from center Marc Gasol, giving Memphis a 94-79 lead with just over two minutes remaining. New Orleans hung around for two-plus quarters, trailing just 47-41 at halftime, but Memphis broke it open with a 31-19 third quarter. The Hornets immediately head back to the Crescent City, where they will host Portland at 6 p.m. Central on Sunday.
Hornets MVP: Anthony Davis had one of the premier games of his rookie season, finishing with 20 points and 18 rebounds, in a team-high 38 minutes. It was the fourth-most Davis has played this season; his career high in the category is 42. The Kentucky product displayed some of his versatility on offense by draining three jumpers and slamming down four dunks. He was also a consistent presence through Saturday, scoring between four and six points in each quarter.
Hornets Sixth Man of the Game: Ryan Anderson again demonstrated that even when his long-range shot isn’t falling at its usual rate, he can still be an effective offensive weapon. Anderson went 1-for-5 from the three-point arc, but was 7-for-18 overall and scored baskets around the rim. Anderson also grabbed seven rebounds and blocked one shot. Incidentally, in an unusual team stat, Memphis led NOLA in blocks by an 11-1 margin.
The buzz on… getting a look at a couple new faces. Recently signed to 10-day contracts, forward/center Henry Sims and guard Terrel Harris played a combined 10 minutes Saturday, giving the Hornets a taste of what they are capable of in game action. With Sims and Harris receiving minutes, Xavier Henry did not play, while Lance Thomas first entered with just 1:21 remaining and the game out of reach. Sims showed good energy and activity around the basket in his 3:58 of court time, scoring all four of his points as a result of two offensive rebounds. Harris, who played extremely sparingly for the Miami Heat but was described as a player with defensive potential, did not attempt a shot. However, Harris had one steal and one rebound in his 5:39 of action. The best Saturday stat for Harris was that the Hornets were plus-10 with him in the game.