By John McMullen,
PHILADELPHIA - One school of thought had the Memphis Grizzlies showing up in Oklahoma City as a content team, a fat cat ready for a nap after swallowing a canary.
After all, the Grizzlies arrived in OKC for Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals on Sunday less than 48 hours after the most significant accomplishment in franchise history.
The little engine that could stunned a San Antonio team that totaled 61 victories during the regular season, won the Southwest Division title, and went into the playoffs as the No. 1 seed in the West.
The conductor piloting the Grizzlies train and sending the Spurs scurrying for tee times was none other than Zach Randolph, the dominant power forward that poured in a franchise postseason record 31 points and pulled down 11 rebounds in Memphis' Game 6 clincher against San Antonio.
The big man saved his best for when it counted most, scoring 17 of his points in the fourth quarter of that one, knocking down 6-of-8 shots from a variety of locations on the floor in the 99-91 Grizz win.
Memphis, which came into the playoffs this year with an 0-12 all-time mark in the postseason, became just the second No. 8 seed in NBA history to topple a No. 1 in the first round since the best-of-seven format was instituted.
"Not a lot of people knew about us coming in, but we certainly have made some noise, turned some heads, and got some attention that probably wouldn't have been given to us if we lost this series," Grizzlies head coach Lionel Hollins said after taking the Spurs. "We would have been just another eighth seed losing to the No. 1 seed. I'm pleased with the way it turned out."
I'm sure Randolph was also pleased but he proved anything but satiated, exploding again in Game 1 against the Thunder, posting 34 points and 10 rebounds in the Grizzlies 114-101 win. The Indianapolis-area native, knocked 12-of-22 shots and made all nine of his free throws en route to breaking his own franchise postseason record for points that was less than two days old.
"He's a good player," Thunder head coach Scott Brooks understated when talking about Randolph. "We have to limit his touches and make the ones that he does get, tougher. We have to crowd the paint."
Oklahoma City superstar Kevin Durant was more effusive in his praise.
"You can't stop him," the NBA's scoring champion said. "We've got to make him shoot tough shots but even when he missed he'd be there to get his own rebound and the tip-in. He's an animal. I think he's the best power forward in the league."
In the opening round, Randolph tortured future Hall of Famer Tim Duncan to the tune of 21.5 ppg and 9.2 rpg. The only thing that slowed him down was foul trouble.
Things figured to be tougher against the Thunder, a much younger team that can throw defensive-minded center Kendrick Perkins at Randolph as well as weakside shot-blocking terror Serge Ibaka. The only thing that changed Sunday, however, was who the Grizzlies' 6-foot-10 big man was tormenting.
Perhaps the most underrated "star" in the game, Randolph is not only a daily double-double threat these days, he's virtually an automatic double-double, a bull in the china shop on the blocks.
You can virtually forget stopping "Zebo" when he gets position on the entry pass and he has teamed with Marc Gasol to give the Grizzlies the NBA's best interior offense.
Few gave Memphis much of a shot against the up-and-coming Thunder, widely regarded as the best young team in the league but the Grizzlies were 3-1 against Oklahoma City in the regular season and have already found a way to swipe home-court advantage in Game 1.
And its Randolph that has turned the dumb and happy No. 8 seed into a disagreeable, dissatisfied bunch that doesn't seem to understand it's not supposed to belong.
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