Grizz Grind in season opener

Quick tidbits about the Grizzlies 102-98 victory over the Timberwolves

1. Wade Baldwin, IV had an impressive night. He filled the stat sheet with seven points, six assists, five rebounds and three blocks in his career debut. According to Elias Sports Bureau, Baldwin was the first player to put up at least 5 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 blocks and 3 steals in his NBA debut since 1973-74.

2. Mike Conley led the Grizzlies with 24 points and four assists. Conley was 8-of-14 from the field and 4-of-5 from the three-point line.

3. Zach Randolph can ball. Whether he starts or is on the bench, he can still ball. Zbo posted his first double-double of the season with 19 points and 11 rebounds while shooting 7-of-12 from the field.

4. James Ennis chipped in 15 points (5-of-8 FG) and six rebounds. 

5. Marc Gasol ended with 18 points, three rebounds and four blocks. The team combined for 11 blocks.

6. The Grizzlies ended the game shooting 45 percent from the field (36-of-80) and 45.8 percent from the three point line (11-of-24).

7. Andrew Harrison logged a game high 38 minutes for the Grizzlies in his NBA regular season debut. He added four points, four assists and three rebounds.

8. The Minnesota Timberwolves had four players score in double figures. Andrew Wiggins (25), Karl-Anthony Towns (21), Zach LaVine (19) and Gorgui Dieng (12).

9. Ole man Vince Carter shut down Andrew Wiggins in the 4th quarter. Wiggins was held to two points in the period. Carter finished the game with three points and seven rebounds.

10. JaMychal Green added 12 points and seven rebounds.

 

Neat Stats

 

What They Said

GRIZZLIES HEAD COACH DAVID FIZDALE

On the game:

“Came out down 20-3, you noticed how I kept my poise. I was squirming on the inside but I j

ust knew our team just had some big time jitters. They’ve been waiting for this day for a long time. Their energy was fantastic. Our young guys as crazy as they drive me they really stepped up. I know Andrew Harrison’s line doesn’t show it but man he really made it tough on (Zach) LaVine. He really did and that kid’s a player. LaVine is a heck of a player. It was hard to take Andrew off of him for that reason. James Ennis really answered the bell in the second half. I challenged him at halftime and he really answered the bell. Obviously you know the 16-0 run to start the third was big for us. Mike Conley, he’s a tough nut. He’s not afraid of the moment and I’m really lucky to have he, and Marc, and Z-Bo (Zach Randolph). Z-Bo really, really gave us a lift off the bench there to carry us for a while, and that’s what I’m expecting from him coming off the bench is just big time productivity. He’s going to touch the ball a lot. Obviously all in all very happy to get the win.”

 

On how the team handled the new offense:

Ok, I wouldn’t call it great. There were sometimes in there where we were really rolling and the ball was moving, our execution was sharp. I thought when we got fatigued, guys started forgetting their sets, forgetting their actions. Weren’t focusing on the details of the offense. Missing screens, poor timing, things like that. We can get a lot better with that, but overall I thought the pace was pretty good and in our favor even though that team right there is really athletic, we really developed some good habits with playing with pace. You notice it’s not sporadic. We want to get the ball up the court, give ourselves a lot of time to get the best shot available early in the clock and if we have to we will work the clock down. It just worked out for us. Guys made big shots and big plays.

 

On playing Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol together:

“I’ve always said it’s not like I’m not going to do it. They’re a weapon together, especially when the game is tight and we’re in the bonus and things like that when we have the right match ups out there, absolutely I’m going to play them together and it was working. Z-Bo really he gave us a serious lift tonight, from all over the place. Everyone here knows that when the lights come on and the popcorn’s popping he’s ready to go. He may look like he’s a 100 in practice, when we get to the game he’s ready to go. He was so awesome just now, I’m not even thinking, he was the guy that remembered to grab the ball and give it to me for my first win. That just solidifies our history together. I’ve been knowing him for such a long time. It meant a lot that it was him. I was really proud of him tonight.”

 

GRIZZLIES GUARD WADE BALDWIN 

On performing well in his first regular season game:

“I have full confidence in myself. I have no shyness about it. I am fully capable of impacting the game at this level. I did tonight and hopefully it can continue for the next 81+ games.”

 

GRIZZLIES GUARD ANDREW HARRISON 

On his performance:

“I didn’t shoot it as well as I could. At the same time, he knew I was giving it my all and they trust me. That’s the biggest thing. That’s the best feeling out of all this.”

 

 

On the Grizzlies utilizing the three point shot:

“Obviously, I had nothing to do with that. We have a great team. Marc (Gasol), when he’s able to knock down threes—ZBO (Zach Randolph), two of the best post players in the NBA can knock down threes, it makes those two guys unstoppable and makes it a lot easier on me.”

 

GRIZZLIES FORWARD ZACH RANDOLPH

On tonight’s game:

“That was real fun. First game. We’ve been working for it this whole summer and preparing in preseason to get ready and we got the win. It’s just the beginning of a season. We’ve got a lot of work to get done, guys to get back healthy and get our whole team back.”

 

On the veterans working together:

“I think with us (Marc Gasol and Mike Conley) and the things we’ve been through and the confidence that we’ve got with playing together, we’ve been through it all. I don’t expect anything less out of those guys, and actually, all the guys on our team. They’ve been working hard. I trust them. JaMychal (Green) and James Ennis, those young guys come in from the start and make good plays. JaMychal had the biggest play of the game, that tip in and that blocked shot.”

 

On the fourth quarter:

“We know what we can do. We’ve been in those situations before. We know what to do and kept playing—stuck it out. Mike (Conley) and Marc (Gasol) carried us and had great games.”

 

Highlights

 

Up Next

The Grizzlies head to New York to take on the Knicks on Saturday at 6:30 pm CST.