LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — One night after Memphis coach David Fizdale criticized his team’s leadership, Grizzlies captain Marc Gasol matched his NBA career high with 38 points in a 98-86 victory over the Detroit Pistons.
The effort from the Spanish big man, who connected on 14 of 17 shots from the floor, helped the Grizzlies snap a three-game skid.
He said he hadn’t realized as he stepped to the foul line with 36.4 seconds remaining that he had a chance to improve his career-high for points, and he wasn’t disappointed that he only matched his prior mark when he missed one of those free throws.
“I never care one bit about career highs or points,” he said. “To me, that’s just numbers. They don’t explain the story. They just show a portion of it.”
The important thing was the win, after the Grizzlies had dropped games to Sacramento, Utah and Boston.
Fizdale took his team’s veterans to task after Memphis squandered a 17-point halftime lead and lost to the Celtics in overtime on Tuesday.
“Our leadership stunk the last three games,” he said before Wednesday’s game. “That’s the truth. I’m a truth machine.”
Fizdale wasn’t surprised that Gasol responded.
“That’s his level,” the coach said. “He’s a great player, and I’m always going to continue to challenge him to be the best. He just really wanted this game tonight.”
The Grizzlies are no 8-0 in the second game of back-to-backs.
“We just think about the task we have that night,” Gasol said. “We don’t think about the game last night. We just try to accomplish our goals for the game we have in front of us and move on. That’s why it works for us.”
He scored 14 points in the third quarter as the Grizzlies built an 18-point lead, and the Pistons wouldn’t get closer than seven points the rest of the way.
“When your jumper is going, it opens up many different options,” Gasol said. “Obviously, when you’re making shots, everything looks a lot easier.”
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