MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP)—The Memphis Grizzlies are one win away from more franchise history, and Shane Battier(notes) is expecting quite a fight from the San Antonio Spurs. The Grizzlies routed the Spurs 104-86 on Monday night and need just one victory to become the second No. 8 seed to knock off the top seed in a best-of-seven series in the NBA playoffs. Game 5 is Wednesday night in San Antonio, and Battier is trying to prepare his younger teammates for what lies ahead. “It’s a very difficult situation,” he said. “These guys know this could be it. They are going to fight as hard as they have ever fought before as a group. We have to be able to match that intensity and surpass it.” The Spurs won 61 games in the regular season and only lost the NBA’s best record by dropping the final two games. But the four-time NBA champs are on the verge losing their opening playoff series 4-1 for the second time in three years. Battier thinks that makes Wednesday night very dangerous. “I’d feel better if it was against someone other than the Spurs,” he said. “They are very capable of winning three straight in a playoff series. All we’ve done is held home court.” Memphis made franchise history by winning the series opener for its first playoff victory, then added its first playoff win at home. A win Wednesday night would put the Grizzlies alongside the 2007 Golden State Warriors as the only No. 8 seeds to eliminate the top team since the NBA expanded to a best-of-seven series. “I know a lot of people didn’t expect us to be here,” Grizzlies guard Mike Conley(notes) said. “It’s not like we were expected to be up 3-1 at this point. In our locker room, we’re just playing it game by game. We want to come into San Antonio looking to end it there. We’re focused and want to be able to move onto the next round.” The Spurs now are placing their hopes in making a stand Wednesday night on their home court. Coach Gregg Popovich pulled his starters with 5:43 left to start resting them for that game. “They’ll need their juice for the next game,” Popovich said. Conley had 15 points and seven assists. Darrell Arthur(notes) added 14 points for Memphis. Tony Allen(notes) scored 12, and Zach Randolph(notes) and O.J. Mayo(notes) each had 11 points. Tony Parker(notes) scored 19 of his 23 points in the first half for the Spurs, but also had seven turnovers. Manu Ginobili(notes) had 14 points, Gary Neal(notes) finished with 11, and George Hill(notes) and Tiago Splitter(notes) had 10 apiece. Splitter, a rookie from Brazil, had not played in the series previously. Tim Duncan(notes) had six points for the Spurs on his 35th birthday. “Obviously, the whole team is very frustrated,” Parker said. “I mean we go through a whole season and get that first seed, and now we’re just one game away to be eliminated so it’s most important for us to focus on Game 5. That’s the most important thing to get Game 5 and try to get another chance to get a win here.” Source: Y! Sports
this is so fucked, they basically tanked to get them, and what do you know, they were right to do so.
Crazy game last night. Had it not been for a couple of lucky shots (*cough*gary neal*cough) Memphis was headed to the second round.
