The NBA world was focused on the Warriors-Spurs game on Saturday, but something special also happened at FedExForum. Memphis Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph returned from a six-game absence due to a sore knee and got the first triple-double of his 15-year career against the Los Angeles Clippers: a season-high 28 points, plus 11 rebounds and 10 assists. Randolph shot 10-for-19, made all eight of his free throws and led the banged-up Grizzlies to an unlkely 113-102 win.
Randolph started next to Ray McCallum, Tony Allen, Lance Stephenson and Ryan Hollins. Memphis' reserves were JaMychal Green, Jarell Martin, Briante Weber, Xavier Munford and Vince Carter. It was impossible to see this coming.
"[Randolph] might not know the full names of all the guys he's playing with but he's kicking it out to them," Grizzlies head coach Dave Joerger said, via the Memphis Commercial Appeal's Geoff Calkins.
With the victory, Memphis improved to 40-30 on the season. It is fifth in the Western Conference has holds a four-game lead over the fifth-place Portland Trail Blazers. More important tonight, though, was that Grizzlies fans got to see Randolph dominate their hated rivals. As the game ended, there was a standing ovation and a "Z-Bo, Z-Bo!" chant. He definitely earned it.
