When Grizzlies Attack: Barn Burns Down in Memphis

Remember how we told you that Tony Barone wanted the Grizzlies to run? He wasn't lying. The Grizzlies averaged 110 points in Barone's first two games, but on Wednesday they exploded for a 144-135 win over the Warriors. And that's in 48 minutes, folks, not some kind of double- or triple-overtime match where you expect the box score to look like something out of a video game.

Mike Miller led the Grizzlies with 33 points (largely the result of a team-record nine triples) and three other players scored at least 20, not to mention Damon Stoudamire, who chipped in 18 with 16 assists. Pau Gasol looked like the Pau of old with 24 points and 13 boards and four blocks. Stromile Swift? 26 points, nine boards and four blocks (I'm guessing it's the headbands). Any fantasy ballers out there? Take note: raiding the waiver wire by stocking up on Grizzlies might not be a bad idea.

One other stat line of note was Rudy Gay, who played 36 minutes and scored 22 points with eight rebounds and three assists. He came off the bench during Barone's first two games, but he started over the veteran Eddie Jones, who was held to just two points in 12 minutes, 10 fewer minutes than he averaged from the starting lineup in the last two.

And here's the beauty: it's not like playing at such a frantic pace resulted in sloppy basketball. Sure, the defense was loose, but the Grizzlies shot 55.8% with just 10 turnovers. Any coach in the league would take that, regardless of how many times his players are flying up and down the court. Barone is 2-1 in his first two games, with the only blemish being a two-point loss. Chris Herrington of the Memphis Flyer writes in his Grizzlies blog:

Part of it, certainly, was the opponent, a Golden State team currently playing the 2nd fastest pace in the league. But the Grizzlies, in only their third game since instituting this style, were right there with them, lowering their turnovers tonight and cleaning up their porous transition defense in the second half. The team looked a little winded at times, but the transition to an extreme up-tempo style is still impressive.

And that's what strikes me most. Under Mike Fratello, the Grizzlies played the third slowest pace in the league. In three games, they've played a faster pace than any other team. Has there EVER been a team embark on such a colossal change in style of play in the middle of a season without any roster changes? This has got to be terribly rare situation.

It's freaking amazing is what it is. And fair or not, I have to imagine it'll make it that much more difficult for Mike Fratello to get his next coaching gig.