The Memphis Grizzlies appeared to make a statement earlier in the week by winning a difficult set of back-to-back games against the Golden State Warriors and the San Antonio Spurs. It was an important step for their confidence and showed the rest of the NBA that they could compete with the best teams the Western Conference has to offer.
Perhaps just as important, they finally got the Vince Carter they expected to see when they signed him this offseason. The beginning of the season had been a struggle for Carter. The 16-year veteran out of the University of North Carolina struggled to shoot early on, and a balky ankle saw him play as a little as single digit minutes, or not at all, in 12 different games.
I’ve written several times about the challenges he has faced this season, but he finally appears to be breaking out. This week has been the best yet for Carter. Tuesday against Golden State, he knocked down four three-pointers on his way to 16 points in a Grizzlies win.
He would outdo himself the next night by hitting five three-point shots, for a total of 18 points against San Antonio, to help Memphis edge the Spurs in triple overtime. He played 41 minutes in the game, which was 13 minutes more than he had played in a single game all season, and it helped Memphis knock off a hated rival that always seems to give them trouble.
The end of the week was not quite as fruitful for the team, but Carter still continued to play well. In a loss to the Chicago Bulls, he finished with 10 points and two rebounds. In the Sunday afternoon meeting with the Cleveland Cavaliers, he scored 12 points and grabbed three rebounds while dishing out an assist in the defeat.
Neither performance was as impressive as his triple overtime showing, but the consistency is starting to show. It was the first time all season Carter had scored double figures in four consecutive games. In total, Carter scored 56 points while shooting 44 percent from the floor and 42.8 percent from three. Not a bad week for a 37-year-old that comes off the bench.
The team appeared gassed after a difficult week that pitted them against four different NBA championship contenders. Triple overtime with the Spurs, a meeting with the physical Chicago Bulls, and trying to defeat LeBron James will inevitably lead to some wear and tear. Fortunately for the Grizzlies, the schedule is more forgiving this week as they host the Utah Jazz before taking on the Houston Rockets, and the lackluster Miami Heat.
After a 2-2 week, the Grizzlies currently sit at 21-6, which puts them as the No. 3 seed in the competitive Western Conference. Even though they did not grab as many wins in the standings as they would have liked this week, Carter’s resurgence is definitely a victory.
Carter’s season averages are still not up to his usual standards, but this week has helped raise them a bit. Currently, he is averaging 6.7 points, 1.2 assists, and 2 rebounds per game on 36.4 percent shooting from the floor and 32.6 percent from three-point range.
Most importantly, Carter appears healthy on the floor. As far as one can tell from watching on television, Carter looks like his old self again. He is more confident with his shot, and also no longer has a reluctance to drive to the basket.
The “Vinsanity” days may be over, but Vince Carter is proving that when healthy he can still cut it in the NBA.