Mayo's 7th 30+ Effort Can't Save Streak
Apr 8, 2009
By: Tropics Staff
Portland rallies to beat Memphis Grizzlies, 96-93
By Ronald Tillery, Memphis Commercial Appeal
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
O.J. Mayo began his dribble along the baseline with the shot clock winding down and seemingly no clear path to the basket.
But the Grizzlies’ rookie guard found a way, gliding under the rim and flipping in a reverse layup that kept his team soaring late in the fourth quarter. Ahead by five points with three minutes left in a game they led by as many as 18 Tuesday night, the Griz appeared headed toward another close-game victory behind clutch plays.
But the Portland Trail Blazers, who are battling for home-court advantage in the playoffs’ opening round, shot down the high-flying Grizzlies and grounded their season-high tying winning streak.
Wasted was Mayo’s 31-point scoring outburst and missing down the stretch of the Grizzlies’ 96-93 loss in FedExForum were the poise and execution they made prevalent during their string of four straight wins.
Travis Outlaw completed the Blazers’ comeback when he banked in a 12-foot shot while Griz forward Rudy Gay fouled out on the play with 13 seconds left. Even though Outlaw missed the free throw, the basket gave Portland a 94-93 lead and then the Griz fumbled away their next possession.
Point guard Mike Conley lost his dribble on the way to the basket, and Brandon Roy picked up the steal. Roy was fouled and converted two free throws to account for the final point total.
The game ended with Mayo’s potential game-tying, 3-point attempt bouncing off the rim after the Grizzlies’ final possession began with 6.9 ticks remaining.
“He got into a rhythm and he carried us,” Griz coach Lionel Hollins said of Mayo. “I thought he was going to bring us home, but unfortunately Brandon Roy had other ideas.”
Roy scored 11 of his team-high 24 points in the final two minutes, and was in the right place at the right time when Conley coughed up the ball.
“I guess I get credit for it,” Roy said, “but he really just kicked it off his foot right at me.”
“It was unfortunate,” Conley said of the turnover. “I was going to go for the rim. If they collapsed on me, I was going to back it out and look for my teammates. I was about to back it out.”
Portland took a 77-76 lead when Outlaw connected on a 19-foot shot with eight minutes left. Mayo then hit consecutive 3-pointers that put the Griz ahead 82-77 with 6:27 left. Memphis’ lead was 91-86 with 2:51 left.
“I got into a rhythm,” Mayo said. “The shots felt good so I just tried to knock down open shots. We did a good job of competing. We wanted to win this game, too, because Portland’s put a whipping on us all year.”
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