The Memphis Grizzlies will try to save their postseason with a home win against the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 3 of the Western Conference first round game Thursday night at 9:30 p.m. ET.
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Via ESPN:
The Grizzlies have had a chance to sleep in their own beds and are ready to get back to playing Memphis basketball. That means rebounding, dominating the paint and some sticky defense.
Keeping Zach Randolph on the floor and out of foul trouble also would be a big help.
The Memphis All-Star has been limited by foul trouble as the Los Angeles Clippers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in this first-round series. Randolph averaged 11.2 rebounds a game during the regular season but has 12 total in the series. He said Wednesday the officiating has been different from the Grizzlies' series against San Antonio in 2011 and last year against these same Clippers.
"Even last year, they let us play a little bit more, and it seems like this year, they kind of focusing ... on me and Blake," Randolph said of Clippers forward Blake Griffin. "So it's kind of been like that. Little ticky tack here and there."
Coach Lionel Hollins has his own idea on his Grizzlies can adjust to the officiating Thursday night with Game 3 here in Memphis.
"Stop committing ticky tack fouls," Hollins said. "When you know the referees going to call them, you got to stop committing them."
Randolph wasn't fully recovered from an injured knee when the Clippers beat Memphis in seven games to open the postseason a year ago. He's healthy now but was limited to less than 25 minutes as Los Angeles routed the Grizzlies in Game 1. He played nearly 31 minutes in Monday night's 93-91 loss as he and Griffin picked up double fouls for a second straight game, but Randolph was on the floor the least of any of Memphis' starters.
"We just got to come out and play basketball ...," Randolph said. "They had their crowd behind them. We fought hard both games. We had a chance to win. They won on their home court. That's what we've got to do the same thing."