Memphis Survives Late Heroics From Oklahoma City For Overtime 111-105 Win; Ties Series 1-1
The Grizzlies paired their relentless defense with ball movement, patient offense, and much needed scoring off the bench to hold off enormous plays made by Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and even Kendrick Perkins down the stretch for a 111-105 Game 2 overtime victory.
Memphis established the slow pace they wanted from the tip, forcing difficult jump shots for the Thunder and earning a 24-16 first quarter advantage. Generating consistent offense is the Grizzlies’ biggest challenge, but they played together and executed to create the looks they wanted. Mike Conley Jr. (19 points) and Marc Gasol (16 points) combined for 19 of the Grizzlies’ 30 assists. Their playmaking, along with Zach Randolph’s 25 points, kept the offense afloat for Memphis.
Key for the Grizzlies was Tony Allen’s tenacious, physical play on Kevin Durant, which must always be noted, but also timely contributions from Mike Miller (9 points), Courtney Lee (16 points) and Beno Udrih, who scored 8 of his 14 total points off the bench in the fourth quarter. The Grizzlies shot 49% from the field and held Oklahoma City under 40%. They will host Game 3 in Memphis on Thursday night at 8PM EST.
