Zach Randolph hasn’t forgotten about how good that Memphis’ six-game series victory over the Spurs felt last April.
He now might not be playing with the Grizzlies because of the lockout, but Randolph still is excited about one of the biggest series upsets in modern NBA history.
“It was a great feeling,” Randolph told Indianapolis radio station WFNI during a recent interview (hat tip: Sports Radio Interviews.com). “The feeling was unbelievable. You could feel it. You can still feel it.
“Winning a playoff, going to the second round, game seven, it just got us hungry. We want to win a championship and to tell you the truth we are really ready to compete. That’s why I say the lockout happens when things are turning around, but once we get back in place we’re gonna be a team to be reckoned with.”
The Spurs certainly wouldn’t argue with that assessment, considering the way the season ended last year.
Randolph has struggled to stay in shape earlier in his career. But the unexpected playoff run is helping him steer away from the off-season burgers and fries that used to mark his diet.
“I’m doing this new training called chameleon training,” Randolph said. “It’s like special ops. I’m just training and it’s really tough.”
The playoff run helped Randolph remake his image into one of the best players in the league. He’s determined to keep that edge once the lockout ends.
“The trainer said the training I had been doing was illusion training, like I had been doing fake training all these years,” Randolph said. “It’s something different for me and something good for me. I’ve been working out with him every day, taking my daughter to school and hoping we can get something worked out and get this season going on time.”
The Memphis franchise finished with incredible momentum after the unexpected playoff run. Randolph and the rest of the team can only hope the lockout is settled quickly.