Grizzlies suffer first home loss of the season

Quick notes on the Grizzlies 99-88 loss to the Clippers

1) Mike Conley led the Grizzlies with 30 points, 10 assists and two blocks. He recorded his second double-double of the season on converted on 7 of 11 of his three-point shots. Conley is averaging 21.3 points and 6.6 rebounds.

2) Zach Randolph added 15 points and nine rebounds. Zbo also dished out two assists.

3) Marc Gasol continues to have his shooting woes. In the past two games, he is 7 of 36 from the field. Gasol ended the game with 21 points, nine rebounds, four assists and two blocks.

4) James Ennis chipped in nine points and a team high 11 rebounds. Ennis continues to impress with his play early in the season.

5) The Clippers scored 30 points off the Grizzlies 18 turnovers. The Grizzlies only scored six points off of turnovers.

6) The Clippers bench out-scored the Grizzlies bench 36-22.

7) Both Chris Paul and Blake Griffin both recorded double-doubles. Paul finished with 27 points and 11 assists. Griffin ended with 14 points and 10 rebounds.

8) DeAndre Jordan recorded a game high 21 rebounds.

Quotables

GRIZZLIES HEAD COACH DAVID FIZDALE

Opening Statement:

“Turnovers. Turnovers. Turnovers. Turnovers. Not showing an ability to move on to the next play really killed us tonight. Something that we are going to have to develop as well as our mental toughness. When we don’t make our shots, when we don’t have things going our way, we must move on to the next play and leave our emotions behind. Obviously we are going to go through some growing pains with these young guys but that’s okay. That’s part of the process that they have to go through to become consistent rotation players, championship players. It’s hard to defend your own turnovers. They were just getting out and running on us. I thought we did a crap job of getting back with too many guys gambling in the backcourt and fake hustle. We weren’t committed to our transition defense no matter what happened.  

 

On Marc (Gasol)’s slow start and rhythm:

My message to Marc is always going to be, ‘Can you continue to lead through the frustration?’ I said it before, it’s not a lot of things that I am going to be able to develop in Marc’s game. He’s pretty polished in a lot of areas, but I must grow him as a leader. Part of leadership is that it doesn’t matter if your shots are going in or not. It’s how you impact the game in other ways to help us win. That’s what great players do and that’s what I am challenging him to be.”

 

On the long rivalry:

“We didn’t bring our rivalry game. That wasn’t a rivalry game. I’ve been in rivalry games. That was not a rivalry game. They came to play a rivalry game. We didn’t. We fought within our own minds more than we fought them individually. I expect the next time we play them, we will bring a much better effort and better execution. We will come with a chip on our shoulder. That didn’t feel like a rivalry game at all. That felt like a regular season game between two teams and they play each other twice. I think you guys felt it too. I don’t think you felt the normal Clippers, Grizzlies clash.

 

GRIZZLIES CENTER ZACH RANDOLPH 

On the lack of intensity in the game:

“It’s tough to come out like that and get down against this team. We’ve been battling with where we’re at, where we want to be, and we should, because there are so many years of battling and playing against each other and going at it. We need to be where they’re at, and we’re not. We have a lot of work to do. Tonight they were the better team, and I give them credit.”

 

On defense:

“That’s what we hang our hat on, our defensive end. We do Grit n’ Grind. We just have to figure it out, keep working and stick together. That’s the key part is sticking together. It’s still early in the season.”

 

On the offensive struggle:

“It’s been lack of ball movement, rhythm. We just have to get used to playing and keep on working on it, and not get stagnant and keep moving.”

 

On Marc Gasol struggling early in the game:

“It’s just his (Marc Gasol) timing. It’s just his timing and getting his legs, and getting back into the rhythm. He’ll be okay.”

 

Up Next

The Grizzlies will host the Portland Trailblazers tomorrow afternoon at the FedEx Forum. Tip-off is at 2:30 pm CST.