Grizzlies grind out overtime victory over Thunder, tie series 1-1
Not a huge Russell Westbrook dunk, not a Kevin Durant four-point play, not a Kendrick Perkins buzzer-beater. On Monday night, nothing the Oklahoma City Thunder did was quite good enough, as the Memphis Grizzlies were able to hang on by the skin of their teeth to secure a 111-105 overtime victory, tying the series 1-1 as it sets to head back to Memphis on Thursday.
Star Performer
Where to start? The Grizzlies used a balanced attack and the Thunder got 36 points, 11 rebounds and four assists from Kevin Durant, but it's actually Durant's primary defender who stood out. Tony Allen played 35 excellent minutes, working his tail off to deny Durant the ball in favorable spots and limiting him to 12-of-28 shooting. The Grindfather also added eight points, eight rebound and three assists while collecting four steals.
Tony Allen: "It ain't about me or nothin'. It's about the Grizzlies coming in here, playing grit 'n' grind basketball. It's about the team."
— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) April 22, 2014
Turning Point
It's hard to identify a turning point in a game Memphis led most of the way, so we'll double back to halftime of Game 1, when Memphis found their groove and were suddenly able to assert the glacial pace they prefer to play at.
| Half | OKC FG% | MEM FG% | Rebounds | Score | Possessions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game 1, 1st Half | 47.7% | 25% | 33-24 OKC | 56-39 OKC | 50.5 |
| Game 1, 2nd Half | 40.6% | 48.8% | 18-17 OKC | 52-44 MEM | 46.5 |
| Game 2, 1st Half | 38.1% | 45.5% | 25-23 OKC | 46-43 MEM | 43 |
| Game 2, 2nd Half+OT | 41.2% | 53.5% | 24-24 | 65-62 MEM | 43.5 (per 24min) |
Highlight Reel
First, the two important highlights:
The key highlights were above but this game had no shortage of nice plays, including a pair of Westbrook dunks, only one of which counted.
Quotes of the Night - Be-NO they didn't
Beno Udrih had a surprise performance for the Grizzlies, scoring 14 points with a pair of dimes in just 14 minutes. He was just signed, after all, to replace the suspended Nick Calathes, so this was hardly expected. Basketball Twitter was ready, though.
@YourManDevine don't worry, they'll beno more problems i bet
— SB Nation NBA (@SBNationNBA) April 22, 2014
BENO EVIL.
— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) April 22, 2014
Beno, Beno, Benooo *drake voice*
— Yao Mingle.com (@Marco_Romo) April 22, 2014
THERE WILL BENO MERCY
— Thom (@thom_not_tom) April 22, 2014
Just think, this crazy Beno quarter doesn't happen without Timosil.
— Noam Schiller (@noamschiller) April 22, 2014
There’s Beno way you saw this performance coming.
— Mike Prada (@MikePradaSBN) April 22, 2014
You can guard him as well as you can, but that'll Beno problem for Udrih. WOO CAN I GET A HIGH FIVE
— SB Nation NBA (@SBNationNBA) April 22, 2014
Series at a glance
Game 1: OKC 101, MEM 86 (Thunder 1-0)
Game 2: MEM 111, OKC 105 (OT) (Series tied 1-1)
Game 3: Thursday, April 24 - 8 p.m.
Game 4: Saturday, April 26 - 9:30 p.m.
Game 5: Tuesday, April 29 - TBD
Game 6*: Thursday, May 1 - TBD
Game 7*: Saturday, May 3 - TBD