Jeff Green and Marc Gasol grab Grizzlies a win away from the Suns
The Memphis Grizzlies are known for a few distinct qualities, but none stand out as much as their toughness and willingness to fight through adversity. It’s the genesis of their franchise-wide slogan “grit and grind,” but it’s evident to anyone who watches the team on a regular basis. The Grizzlies never go away quietly and will do whatever they can to impose their style on a game.
The Phoenix Suns learned as much on Monday night at Talking Stick Resort Arena. With 10:57 remaining in the fourth quarter, the Grizzlies led 81-72 and looked in control of the game. A little more than five minutes later, the Suns had managed to open up the game and run their way to the lead. That advantage got up to 101-94 after an Isiah Thomas three-pointer with 1:49 on the clock, and it looked as if the Grizzlies had frittered away a seventh-consecutive win.
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The Suns didn’t score again. At the other end, the Grizzlies got points on six possessions in a row. The last of those came with just a few seconds on the clock when Jeff Green rebounded a missed three from Mike Conley and powered through a foul from Eric Bledsoe for the game-tying and-one bucket. Take a look:
Green nailed the free throw to give the Grizzlies a 102-101 lead with 4.5 seconds remaining. The Suns got a shot for Markieff Morris out of the ensuing timeout, but Marc Gasol was there to erase any chance for the buzzer-beater winner:
The sequence speaks to why so many believe that the Grizzlies are legitimate title contenders rather than just a solid playoff team. Green has his weaknesses, but he is a talented wing scorer for a team that has often needed offensive versatility. Meanwhile, Gasol has gained a spot on the MVP shortlist and has proven himself capable of winning his team games in virtually every imaginable fashion.
The Suns figure to be disappointed the loss. They not only lost another heartbreaker late, but lost ground to the gaining New Orleans Pelicans for the West’s final playoff spot. After the Pelicans snapped the Atlanta Hawks’ 19-game winning streak, they are now just one game behind the Suns.
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Eric Freeman is a writer for Ball Don’t Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter!
