Court Vision: Grizzlies slow Westbrook, top Thunder behind Green

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- The Grizzlies moved back even with Houston for the West's second seed and put Oklahoma City back on the edge of the eight-seed with Friday's 100-92 win against the Thunder. Here are three takes from a playoff-like FedExForum.

1. Is angry Marc Gasol here to stay?

Clearly frustrated over the recent three-game losing streak, Marc Gasol's subtle approach took a sudden turn Friday. His non-threatening back peddle after a made shot was swagger-fueled after he got on the board with an 11-foot jumper. His typically-tame shot block transcended into three salty swats.

His most non-Marc moment came in the first half. He blocked a Russell Westbrook shot and as Westbrook fell, Gasol first-downed it toward the other end.

"I thought the biggest key to the game was Marc Gasol," Memphis coach Dave Joerger said, "and what he did everywhere on the court."

Gasol, one of six Grizzlies in double figures, scored 19 points, had six boards, five assists and a pair of steals.

As big and bad as he was, it was a Gasol floater that helped seal the deal, a soft touch from the free-throw line for a 94-88 lead with 75 seconds to play.

He took four shots in the first half (three makes), then 10 in an aggressive second half, scoring the first four of the third quarter.

"The guy blocked shots, ran out of bounds to get rebounds, passing to cutters, scoring when we needed to score, making perimeter shots and basically running our offense," Joerger said.

2. Calathes' contribution, fouls helped Mike Conley

Calathes, the Grizzlies backup point guard fouled out of the game. But before he did, he made all five shots he took in 13 minutes, scoring 10 points and adding three rebounds and a steal.

All five starters -- and Calathes -- scored in double figures. It was Calathes' fifth double-digit game of the season and he tied a season-high with the five field goals.

Point guard backup was called into action early on, as Conley picked up a pair of fouls in the first quarter. Both Calathes and Beno Udrih played five minutes each in the quarter.

Calathes' contribution helped, but oddly enough, Conley's foul trouble may have aided the win as much as anything by forcing a defensive switch on Westbrook. It also took some beating off the already beat-up guard.

"Having him not play Russell Westbrook a ton let him not pick up as much beating on physically," Joerger said. "It definitely put us in a deficit, but I think our guys really responded. I thought Beno had a nice game. I thought Kosta Koufos had a really, really nice game."

Backup center Koufos had 11 rebounds, his second straight double-digit rebound game. The foul trouble kept Conley away from bull-in-a-china-shop Westbrook and put Jeff Green on Westbrook. Segue.

3. Grizzles needed buckets. Jeff Green got them buckets and then some

The job Jeff Green did on Russell Westbrook should not be and was not understated. Westbrook started hot, scoring 12 points in the first quarter. He got to the line seven times in the first 12 minutes.

The rest of the way, he made only one of his last 11 shots and finished with 18 points on 5-of-20 shooting, 0-for-3 from 3-point range.

"It has nothing to do with me. It was a team effort," Green said. "My job was just to stay in front of him and make every shot for him tough."

Westbrook has had eight triple-doubles since the All-Star break and had averaged 34 points per game over his last three. He did have seven assists and seven rebounds, but also a game-high five turnovers.

And as much as Green would have you believe otherwise, he had a lot to do with that, his athleticism able to bother the thunderous guard at the rim.

"He just stopped the post up. That was about it," Westbrook said. "But, that's normal."

It was more than at the rim and it was more Green's doing than he will admit.

60 -- The Grizzlies scored 60 in the paint. Only twice have they scored more, 66 on two occasions.

17 -- OKC center Enes Kanter had a game-high 17 rebounds and continued his beastly ways. He has double-digit rebounds in 10 of 11 games.