This had all the makings of a letdown game.
As the Grizzlies shot out to a 12-5 lead early in the first quarter I felt fully prepared to crank up the Excuse Machine. How do you get jacked up for a game against the Grizzlies after whatever that was Thursday night against the Raptors? If the previous game was the NBA equivalent a ritualistic bloodletting ceremony, then this game felt a bit more like an appointment to get a mole removed. You know it’s something that needs to get done, but you just as easily could forget about it and not show up.