Michigan State Spartan Zach Randolph proves doubters wrong in playoffs, falls short in Game 7

 

Randolph spent one year playing for Izzo before he took his talents to the NBA.

Zach Randolph, the former Michigan State Spartan who is also known as “Z-Bo,” carried his Memphis Grizzlies as far as he could in this year’s playoffs. He was the heart and soul of the young squad, erasing any and all doubts concerning his character (or lack thereof), not to mention he was quite the handful in the post.

The Grizzlies lost in Game 7 to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday, ending a run which saw them knock out the top-seeded San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the NBA playoffs. The Thunder just had more firepower and its superstars, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, stepped up mightily in the do-or-die contest. It still doesn’t take away what the Grizzlies did this season.

Memphis finished with a regular season record of 46-36 in the rugged Western Conference, qualifying as the eighth seed in the playoffs without small forward Rudy Gay on the court because of injury. It just made other players step up when it mattered most, including the likes of Tony Allen, O.J. Mayo and point guard Mike Conley. Coach Lionel Hollins used his own playing experience to motivate his players and get them on the same page.

The team’s main cogs were its big men, Randolph and Marc Gasol. Both players were dominant in the paint, especially in the San Antonio series. The Spurs just didn’t have the size and youth to contain the two guys down low. Randolph and Gasol played big in the Thunder series as well, and if home court was on the other foot who knows what would have happened.

It’s hard to expect an eight seed to go very far into the playoffs in any sport, but the Grizzlies were a consistent threat mostly because of Randolph’s presence. Even when he wasn’t getting the ball, he was always getting attention by opposing defenes. But when he did touch the ball, he displayed a wide array of post moves which wowed analysts and commentators. It was what people expected out of him when he left college early.

After his stint in Portland, one which was surrounded by drama and locker room confrontations, many wrote Randolph off as being selfish and caring more about himself than his teammates. It seems a new leaf has changed for him in Memphis, recently saying that he and the city of Memphis get along well because they are both blue-collar. His statistics prove that as he averaged 22.2 points and 10.8 rebounds in the playoffs, a double-double waiting to happen on any given night.

In his career he has averaged 17.6 points and 9.2 rebounds per game, so it seems his game is improving as gets older and has found a change in scenery. Memphis seems to be a good fit for Z-Bo as he continues to learn how to be a teammate and be a better player. His post skills are among the best in the entire league, with some – including Durant – calling him the best power forward in the NBA at the moment. It’s hard to argue considering the way he plays, his versatility in the post (shooting and footwork) and how he is making his teammates better each and every day.

We can all hope that Randolph continues his ways as a player known more for his on-court skills and less for the pity exchanges off the court. He is too good of a player to go back to his old ways and ruin the progress he has made. And who knows what would have happened if Gay had suited up in the playoffs, maybe Memphis would be in the Western Conference Finals right now.

The future is bright for a town still embracing everything a professional basketball team has to offer, while Zach Randolph automatically makes them a contender each and every year he plays like the best power forward in the NBA.