@ Season Series Memphis - 3, Spurs - 1 11.3.03: Grizzlies 88, Spurs 80 12.15.04: Spurs 78, Nuggets 67 3.1.04: Grizzlies 81, Spurs 80 3.9.04: Grizzlies 94, Spurs 88 Final Records Spurs 57-25 (.695) 3rd West Grizzlies 50-32 (.610) 6th West Series Outlook: Spurs - 1, Grizzlies - 0 <font color="Blue"><strike>April 17th - Saturday - ESPN - @ San Antonio</strike> - Spurs Win</font> April 19th - Today - TNT - @ San Antonio April 22nd - Thursday - TNT - @ Memphis April 25th - Sunday - TNT - @ Memphis If necessary April 28th - Wednesday - TBD - @ San Antonio If necessary May 1st - Saturday - TBD - @ Memphis If necessary May 3rd - Monday - TBD - @ San Antonio Probable Starting Lineups <u>Backcourt</u> Jason Williams/Tony Parker Mike Miller/Hedo Turkoglu <u>Frontcourt</u> James Posey/Bruce Bowen Pau Gasol/Tim Duncan Lorenzen Wright/Rasho Nesterovic <u>Sixth Men</u> Bonzi Wells/Emanuel Ginobili Injury Update Memphis Grizzlies N/A San Antonio Spurs N/A <u>Memphis? Statistical Leaders</u> PPG - Pau Gasol - 17.7 RPG - Pau Gasol - 7.7 APG - Jason Williams - 6.8 <u>San Antonio's Statistical Leaders</u> PPG - Tim Duncan - 22.3 RPG - Tim Duncan - 12.4 APG - Tony Parker - 5.5 Key Matchups The Memphis Grizzlies' Bench and the San Antonio Spurs' bench - Memphis' bench was outperformed by San Antonio's bench in the previous game. Memphis' bench has a reputation for being the best bench in the league, and Saturday night they didn't live up to it. Bonzi Wells played great, but the rest of the team had little playoff experience and played terrible. Lorenzen Wright and Rasho Nesterovic - In game one, Rasho let his experience show. He absolutely dominated Wright. Sadly, Wright is their biggest body inside and their best rebounder. If they just play Jake Tsakalidas, they should do fine. However, it looks like they're going with Wright. Pau Gasol and Tim Duncan - Pau Gasol was absolutely terrible in game one. He was letting Duncan have everything, without doing anything on the offensive end himself. He needs to become more assertive. I don't expect things to make a big turn-around. Duncan should still dictate the pace of this game. <u>Keys to the series</u> Grizzlies - Get fastbreak points. The Grizzlies win when they take their game to the fastbreak. - Contain Duncan. This is one of the biggest cliche?s ever, but it?s a key. - Spread the love. The Grizzlies win with great ball distribution. Good luck J-Will. Spurs - Endurance. The Grizzlies can go 10 deep, and it wears a lot of teams out. - Pressure Gasol downlow. Another cliche, but another key. - Don?t make stupid mistakes. They obviously have the advantage, they just need to stay away from stupid mistakes. Wave's take I am not going to pick against the Grizzlies in their second playoff game ever. Grizzlies 88 Spurs 84
Well I expect this game to be a little closer than Game one. The Grizz are hopefully no longer nervous and come out ready to play. I still think that the Spurs will break this game open late in the 3rd or in the 4th quarter. We will get to see how the Grizz approach this game. Is their confidence shot or will they act like a veteran team and rebound from the blow out game 1? The key for the Spurs are to get Parker and Manu going again. If they can get in the lane like they did in Game 1 than this game will be over before it starts. I really don't see the Grizzlies having any answer for them. And Tim Duncan, the guy just continues to amaze.
The Spurs have taken control of this game in the second quarter. They are up 10 with about 2 and a half minutes to play in the first half. I expected the Grizz to play this one a little closer but the Spurs are just too much for them. Any time the Grizz makes a mini run the Spurs answer with their own. Memphis has no answer for Parker. ---------------------------- As expected the Grizz have made this game tight. They brought the game to a one point deficit only to see Horry shatter their hopes with two 3's. Its a five point game now. Its just a matter of time before the Spurs break this one open. ---------------------------------------------- The Spurs have finally broken this game open and have taken a commanding 16 point lead with a little over 7 minutes to play in the fourth. Its safe to say that this game is over. Spurs have made a definate statement.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Rudeezy:</div><div class="quote_post">Spurs have made a definate statement.</div> What statement would that be? No one expected them to win tonight, not even I. When I put the Grizzlies winning in my preview, you could tell it was tounge-in-cheek. I'll pick them to win every game, like a fan does in the playoffs. But how can you expect the defending champs to lose to the only team that has never been in the playoffs before in the second game? It'd be a statement for the Grizzlies if they brought it within ten, but I don't see a statement for the Spurs.
What I meant is that they have come out in the first two games and have won big. They have played great defense and made big baskets. They have won by a considerable margin against the #6 seed in the West. Thats pretty impressive. They have made a statement not only to Memphis, but to every team in the West.
This has nothing to do with lack of experience, Spurs are just plain BETTER Both ends of the court Spurs have dominated, once again Memphis can't stop Tim Duncan...Unless they stop him in some way this series could be over real soon. I predicted Spurs in 5 before the series started but It looks more likely It will be a sweep. Robert Horry with a double double, and Parker pouring in 27 points..When that happens you know you're in good shape
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting AllNet:</div><div class="quote_post">This has nothing to do with lack of experience, Spurs are just plain BETTER Both ends of the court Spurs have dominated, once again Memphis can't stop Tim Duncan...Unless they stop him in some way this series could be over real soon. I predicted Spurs in 5 before the series started but It looks more likely It will be a sweep. </div> What are you talking about? Whenever a team goes to the playoffs for the first time, there's always innexperience issues. Maybe you've never seen that, because the Pistons' and Spurs' first times in the playoffs were in the early years of the NBA. However, they have not been playing like they usually do. The Spurs have been getting some lucky shots to fall, and the Grizzlies have been rattling out just about every open shot they get. They need to cut off the ten man rotation and get the ball to Gasol. The stuff you were saying about Duncan handling Gasol is false. Gasol averages 20 ppg and 10 rpg career wise against the Spurs. The ten man rotation really hinders his minutes and his play. Before you start calling this a sweep, consider that the next two games are in Memphis where the Grizzlies are one of the hardest teams to beat in the league. They'll both be sellouts, the crowd should get the team's "confidence" up, and they should use what they've learned from the last two games to help them get by. Allnet, did you see when it was a 1 point game in the 4th quarter? I thought the Grizzlies were going to take it. Had it not been for Horry's god-like threes, it would have been a whole nother ball game. The Grizzlies don't let a team beat them four times in a row. Hubie is one of the smartest guys to have ever walked on an NBA floor. The NBA's Coach of the Year should help the young guys learn from their mistakes. You'll see a different team for the next two games. I honestly didn't expect the Grizzlies to win either of the first games in San Antonio; however, you bet your ass that this will be one hell of a long series.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">What are you talking about? Whenever a team goes to the playoffs for the first time, there's always innexperience issues. Maybe you've never seen that, because the Pistons' and Spurs' first times in the playoffs were in the early years of the NBA However, they have not been playing like they usually do. The Spurs have been getting some lucky shots to fall, and the Grizzlies have been rattling out just about every open shot they get. They need to cut off the ten man rotation and get the ball to Gasol</div> So thats the excuse? Grizzles have no experience and It has nothing to do with Spurs having the much better team? Of course I have seen teams that have no experience but when they are facing a team that is a great defensive team that in Itself stops you from playing your game, Memphis havn't been allowed to do that for a reason. Spurs lucky? careful...people will mistake you for a Laker fan <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The stuff you were saying about Duncan handling Gasol is false. Gasol averages 20 ppg and 10 rpg career wise against the Spurs. The ten man rotation really hinders his minutes and his play. Before you start calling this a sweep, consider that the next two games are in Memphis where the Grizzlies are one of the hardest teams to beat in the league</div> Everytime Duncan faces Gasol one on one..TD always owns him..Gasol is a good player but very weak and soft which often struggled against the likes of Duncan, he can't guard him inside and Duncan's D makes life very difficult for him... <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Before you start calling this a sweep, consider that the next two games are in Memphis where the Grizzlies are one of the hardest teams to beat in the league. They'll both be sellouts, the crowd should get the team's "confidence" up, and they should use what they've learned from the last two games to help them get by.</div> Sellout? thats news to me...Last I checked Memphis had trouble filling out their arena throughout the season, will it suddenly change now? certainly didn't for the Nets...For the record I expect Memphis to take game 3 on thursday night..They have no choice otherwise their season is over. But thats all I see them getting... <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">You'll see a different team for the next two games. I honestly didn't expect the Grizzlies to win either of the first games in San Antonio; however, you bet your ass that this will be one hell of a long series.</div> Grizzles may surprise me and make a game of it but all I expect to happen is a Memphis win in game 3....but Spurs to take the final two to finish off round one and move on to the conference semis
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting AllNet:</div><div class="quote_post">Grizzles may surprise me and make a game of it but all I expect to happen is a Memphis win in game 3....but Spurs to take the final two to finish off round one and move on to the conference semis</div>Thats pretty much where I stand as well. If the Grizzlies are going to win a game in this series it will have to be game 3. I honestly doubt the Grizz will win one though. The Spurs defense is just too great. I loved it when the Spurs put Duncan on Gasol, he couldn't score. I hope the Spurs go with the same match up in Game 3 a little bit more.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting AllNet:</div><div class="quote_post">So thats the excuse? Grizzles have no experience and It has nothing to do with Spurs having the much better team? Of course I have seen teams that have no experience but when they are facing a team that is a great defensive team that in Itself stops you from playing your game, Memphis havn't been allowed to do that for a reason. Spurs lucky? careful...people will mistake you for a Laker fan</div> It sure as hell is an excuse. The Spurs may be a better team, but not THAT much better. The Grizzlies had no idea what to expect the first two games, while everyone on the Spurs was an old veteran when it comes to the playoffs. Yes, the Spurs did make LUCKY shots. I don't mean that Horry's three's were lucky. I don't mean that Duncan's putbacks were lucky. I mean that their turnaround jumpers from almost at the three point line with one second on the shot clock left were lucky. Three or four times, the Spurs ate up time on the shot clock, and before the buzzer went off they threw up a made shot. That's not skill, that's luck. I'm not using that as any excuse though. The Grizzlies were blown out and a few fair baskets won't change anything. You can't escape the obvious though. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> Sellout? thats news to me...Last I checked Memphis had trouble filling out their arena throughout the season, will it suddenly change now? certainly didn't for the Nets...For the record I expect Memphis to take game 3 on thursday night..They have no choice otherwise their season is over. But thats all I see them getting...</div> It's news to you? You're usually the guy with all the latest info. Link I don't quite understand the city of Memphis. The fans were nowhere to be found the last three years, now all of a sudden since they make the playoffs they sellout. It almost makes me sick. Everyone's bandwagoning and it's costing me money. I had to pay almost $100 for two good nosebleeds for the first game, and almost $200 for the same kind of seats at the second game from a scalper. Anyway, the point is that Memphis and New Jersey together is a great juxtaposition. BTW - For the record, I had the Grizzlies losing the first two, winning all their games at home, and winning a game 7.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Wave:</div><div class="quote_post">BTW - For the record, I had the Grizzlies losing the first two, winning all their games at home, and winning a game 7. </div>Are you still sticking to that, sarcasm aside?
Well Wave, there comes a time when you just can't use excuses anymore..That time is coming soon. Wether It's in 4 games or 5. I respect everything the Grizzles have done this season, great coach, great sportsmen and good players but they aren't going to beat the defending champions more so in the way the champs have been playing defense the last few months. Do you seriously think the Spurs are only abit better than Grizzles? I would say much better....not a knock on Memphis but facts are facts, Spurs will be gunning for a repeat while the Grizzles are just happy to be in the post season. I say that shows who is on another level. You predicted Grizzles to beat Spurs in 7? Was that you just being a homer or do you seriously believe that?
