NBA Rumors: Zach Randolph Possibly Ahead of Schedule is Great News for Grizzlies

The Memphis Grizzlies have been scraping by without Zach Randolph in the lineup, but there's a chance the big man will return sooner than expected, which is a huge blessing for Memphis.  

Randolph has only played four games this year because of a knee injury, and CBSSports.com lists him out until late February. 

According to Ronal Tillery of the Commercial Appeal, Randolph is looking good. 

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Griz power forward Zach Randolph just might be ahead of schedule judging by his shooting and the spring in his step before the game. Randolph wore a toothy grin after putting up shots on the FedExForum floor. He said he’s been working out in a pool and will be allowed to do non-contact drills on the court next week. 

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Memphis is only four and a half games out of first place in the Southwest Division, and getting Randolph back will give them a great push not just in their division, but also in the entire Western Conference.

Randolph was a huge reason the Grizzlies had a surprising run last year, knocking out the No. 1 seeded San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the playoffs. Memphis also gave the Oklahoma City Thunder a good fight in the following round, taking the series all the way to Game 7. 

The 6'9", 260-pound power forward will give new life to the Grizzlies, a team that believes it has what it takes to make another great run toward the postseason. 

The Grizzlies are in a very tough division, as the Spurs, Dallas Mavericks and Houston Rockets are all playing great basketball right now. 

They need Randolph back on the court, and if he can get there sooner than expected, then that's excellent. 

Of course, the Grizzlies shouldn't pressure Randolph into returning before he is truly ready. The last thing Memphis needs is for Randolph to get hurt again. 

Memphis is one game out of eighth place in the Western Conference, but they should close the gap and be one of the top eight teams once Randolph returns to action. 

It won't be much longer until Randolph is 100 percent, which is bad news for the rest of the NBA. This Grizzlies team can be very dangerous, as they fly under the radar some. The return of Randolph will do wonders for the Grizzlies' lineup, as well as give them hope for a great finish to the season.