NEW YORK — Even with Lionel Hollins gone, the Memphis Grizzlies will always be more force than finesse as long as Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol are around to overpower opponents.
Adding Jeff Green gives them a chance to be both.
Randolph had 20 points and 14 rebounds, and the Grizzlies beat the slumping Brooklyn Nets 103-92 on Wednesday night in their first matchup against their former coach.
“It was good to beat him, honestly,” Gasol said. “I know how competitive he is, and he knows how competitive I am.”
Hollins’ new team dropped its seventh straight since it was 16-16 after winning its first game of 2015.
“They’re a very good defensive team, a very good rebounding team and that’s why they’re one of the best teams in the league,” Hollins said.
Gasol and Courtney Lee added 18 points apiece for the Grizzlies (27-11), who began working newly acquired Green into one of the Western Conference’s top teams. Green finished with 10 points in 26 1/2 minutes off the bench in his first game since his arrival from the Boston Celtics.
“We’re never going to be a small-ball team, but we do have to be able to match up small ball with all the teams in the West,” Memphis coach Dave Joerger said.
Mason Plumlee had 15 points and nine rebounds for the Nets, playing without the suspended Kevin Garnett and still without the injured Deron Williams.
The Grizzlies are much more versatile offensively under Joerger than Hollins’ rugged defensive clubs, and they got another scoring option when they acquired Green from Boston in a three-team deal with the New Orleans Pelicans. It wasn’t approved by the league until Monday, leaving Green just one workout with Memphis, so Joerger wanted to ease him in.
Averaging a career-best 17.6 points, Green was 3-for-11, missing all four 3-point attempts, but sees how he can be a perfect fit in Memphis.
“I mean, I’m surrounded by threats,” the 6-foot-9 forward said. “It’s a great feeling to have. Coach just wants me to go out there and just play my game and just be aggressive.”
Thumbnail photo via Noah K. Murray/USA TODAY Sports Images
