The Grizzlies didn’t fare to well in Game 4 without Mike Conley, but their point guard was at FedExForum during Game 5 last night. Except, it was in a private owner’s box, wearing a Grizzlies snapback and sporting a face puffy like a pugilist. It’s still not clear when he might return from facial fracture surgery, but his Grizzlies took care of business in Game 5 at home.
Led by a game-high 26 points by Marc Gasol, and a hot first quarter from the other half of their grit n’ grind frontcourt, Zach Randolph, Memphis got out to a seven-point halftime lead, and held on by outscoring the Blazers 31-27 in the fourth for a 99-93 win.
Gasol was 9-for-15 from the field, and he toasted first Robin Lopez then Meyers Leonard with a couple of gorgeous baseline spins for the finish:
The Grizzlies needed their front court to shoulder the majority of the offensive burden with Conley bruised, backup Beno Urih dealing with a sprained ankle and third-string point guard Nick Calathes shooting just 3-for-10 from the field.
Plus, C.J. McCollum put up a career-high 33 points on a 12-for-20 shooting (7/11 3pt) night:
The Grizzlies’ prize for getting the win despite missing their starting point guard? The Warriors, with MVP candidate Stephen Curry at the 1. They tip off Sunday night, but most are predicting a short series for the Grizz, which could get even shorter if Conley isn’t able to go.
