Zach Randolph came up big for Memphis again, posting 34 points and 10 rebounds as the Grizzlies defeated Oklahoma City, 114-101, in the opener of their second-round playoff series.
Thunder Vs. Grizzlies, Game 1: The Zach Randolph Show Is In Effect
Coming off a 31 points and 11 rebounds performance on Friday, Randolph is making quite a name for himself. Grizzly fans are noticing and so is the rest of the country.
Randolph was, for a lack of better words, a force. He scored 34 points on 12-of-21 shooting, with both Randolph and Gasol hitting enough long jumpers to keep the defense honest. The step-outs by OKC allowed for Mike Conley and Tony Allen to see open cuts to the basket. With the Grizzlies among the league's worst in mid-range jumpers (24th, 38.4% shooting from 16-23 feet) and eFG% (27th, 50.1 eFG%), per HoopData, the fact that Z-Bo and Gasol added to the Grizz hitting mid-range jumpers helped open up the baseline and the cutting lanes in the paint.
After the game, Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant said Randolph is the best power forward in the league. Asked what he thought of that assessment, Zach responded, "I gotta agree with that. Thanks KD."
Be sure to follow our Thunder vs. Grizzlies hub for full series coverage. For more on the Thunder, visit Welcome To Loud City. For more on the Grizzlies, visit Straight Outta Vancouver.
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