Spurs at Grizzlies Game Four Previews

[duncan228]

Game is Monday, 7:00 CST on TNT nationally.

Preview is also out under another headline.

Grizzlies trying to stay focused up 2-1 over Spurs (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-spurs-grizzlies)


San Antonio at Memphis (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/preview?gid=2011042529)
Tipoff: 8:00 pm EDT Mon Apr 25, 2011
TV: TNT, FSTN
By Teresa M. Walker

Win a playoff game? Check. Win a playoff game at home? Done.

Next? Well, the Memphis Grizzlies are nowhere near satisfied just yet.

The Grizzlies are up 2-1 in their opening series with the San Antonio Spurs after a 91-88 win Saturday night, and they can take a big step toward becoming only the fourth No. 8 seed to knock off a No. 1 seed Monday night when they play Game 4 in the FedExForum.

Zach Randolph says the key is staying humble and focused after a big victory that set off a big celebration in Memphis after the franchise won its first home playoff game in its 10th season in town.

“It’s not just about winning a game or two,” Randolph said. “It’s about winning the series and not let our heads get too big with this win and stay humble.”

Grizzlies forward Shane Battier, brought back this season in a trade, is the only person to play in all of Memphis’ playoff games. He cautioned patience Sunday both for a team and fans suddenly starting to dream ahead if the Grizzlies can clinch this series.

“Well, the C word is a long ways away, two games out. There’s a lot of games and a lot of basketball,” Battier said.

“But I think … the tone was different. From the first time I was here, we came back to the Forum 0-2 every time. After winning the first game, I think people were like ‘Hey, ya know Maybe. Maybe.’ And that hope is pretty inspiring. It’s pretty cool. It’s a new feeling here.”

The Spurs are busy trying to regroup with center Antonio McDyess expecting to play Monday night after hurting his neck late Saturday night, an injury that forced him to the locker room. He practiced Sunday, but guard Manu Ginobili said his right elbow is still ailing a bit.

They are fighting a bit of their own history. With Tim Duncan, the Spurs have never won a series when they started with the home-court advantage only to lose two of the first three games. Duncan said the approach doesn’t change trailing 2-1.

“We’ve got to get a lot better at executing our game plan and being more consistent,” Duncan said. “We’ve made a lot of mental mistakes. A lot of the things we saw on the film are easily fixable if we go out there with a little better focus.”

San Antonio also needs to communicate a bit better after failing to take a timeout late, which had Ginobili desperately trying to find someone to pass to when Marc Gasol and Mike Conley kept him from attempting a tying 3-pointer. The NBA’s best 3-point shooting team during the regular season also needs to find its shooting stroke after going 2 of 15 Saturday night.

Ginobili credited the Grizzlies with making it tough for the Spurs to get open looks from the corner, and he said he and guard Tony Parker made mistakes not finding teammates open in the paint.

“We’ve been one of the best 3-point shooting teams in the league for 82 games. They’re not falling now,” Ginobili said. “We either have to find a way to get our teammates or guys more open, or we’ve got to attack more or do something else.”

San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said six of nine Spurs are shooting under 40 percent. The Spurs have been outrebounding the Grizzlies, a stat Popovich thought would be a big key coming into this series.

“I’m thrilled with and surprised with, but it was our goal. But we didn’t expect to be shooting this poorly,” Popovich said. “And they deserve some credit for that. Their closeouts have been great. They’ve packed it in and done a really good job defensively.”

Memphis coach Lionel Hollins said the Grizzlies have to keep defending the 3-point line, while watching for the Spurs attacking the basket.

“So we’ve got a two-edged sword that we’re dealing with, and it’s going to be a battle throughout the series,” Hollins said.

One mistake the Spurs won’t make again is leaving Randolph open beyond the 3-point line. The power forward hit the clinching 3 with 41.9 seconds left when Duncan went toward the paint, thinking Randolph wouldn’t attempt such a shot at that point of the game. Duncan is expected to be on Randolph even more as the series goes on.

Randolph had 25 points, but the man who averaged a career-high 12.2 rebounds during the regular season needs to improve on the boards. He had only five rebounds in each of the past two games.

The Grizzlies also need to play four full quarters. They jumped up 52-42 at halftime only to watch the Spurs outscore them in each of the third and fourth quarters. The Spurs tied it twice, but couldn’t take the lead.

Grizzlies guard O.J. Mayo remembers when Memphis couldn’t protect such leads, and he said this proves they learned from those mistakes. Now they’re focused on getting four wins.

“After we stole the win in San Antonio, our mindset was just to protect our home court, so if we do that, all is well,” Mayo said.

*********************

Team Stat Leaders

Points
Tony Parker SAS 17.5
Zach Randolph Mem 20.1

Rebounds
Tim Duncan SAS 8.9
Zach Randolph Mem 12.2

Assists
Tony Parker SAS 6.6
Mike Conley Mem 6.5

*********************

Series at a Glance

Grizzlies lead series 2-1

Game 1: at SAS
MEM 101, SAS 98 - Final
Recap (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/recap?gid=2011041724) | Box Score (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/boxscore?gid=2011041724)

Game 2: at SAS
MEM 87, SAS 93 - Final
Recap (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/recap?gid=2011042024) | Box Score (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/boxscore?gid=2011042024)

Game 3: at MEM
SAS 88, MEM 91 - Final
Recap (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/recap?gid=2011042329) | Box Score (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/boxscore?gid=2011042329)

Game 4: at MEM
Mon, Apr 25 - 8:00 pm EDT
TV: TNT, FSTN

Game 5: at SAS
Wed, Apr 27 - TBA
TV: FSSW

Game 6: at MEM
Fri, Apr 29 - TBA

Game 7: at SAS
Sun, May 01 - TBA

Series Breakdown (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/playoffs/2011/memsas)

AP freelance writer Clay Bailey in Memphis, Tenn., contributed to this report.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/preview?gid=2011042529

[GrandeDavid]

By next weekend people will have changed their tune about the Spurs and Memphis. The terrible three point shooting will discontinue, Parker is bound to get even marginally better, and Pop can't be much worse with his lineups. Spurs in six.

[siraulo23]

Parker has to play better and finish at the rim, he really is key in this series and it would create open 3s for the team

[duncan228]

Notables between Games 3 and 4 (http://blogs.commercialappeal.com/the_memphis_edge/2011/04/notables-between-games-3-and-4.html)
By Ronald Tillery
Memphis Commercial Appeal
The Memphis Edge

The Grizzlies watched film and broke for the day. The Spurs held a practice on the FedExForum main court. Some news and notes from the day:

---> The Grizzlies report that there are about 200 seats still available for Game 4 Monday in FedExForum. The limited seats are mostly on the terrace level.

---> Spurs starting center Antonio McDyess arrived at practice today showing no ill effects from the strained neck he suffered in Game 3. McDyess said he'll be ready to go in Game 4: "I'm feeling a whole lot better."

McDyess took an inadvertent shot to the head from teammate, Tim Duncan, and said he lost feeling in his left arm and hand. He awoke early today feeling as nothing happened. To say that McDyess and his teammates seemed relieved is an understatement.

---> Griz reserve guard O.J. Mayo made a big 3-pointer that unknotted the game at 80 in the fourth quarter Saturday night. Mayo is shooting 42 percent from beyond the arc in this series, which is an important statistic as the Griz continue to neutralize the Spurs' three-point shooting. But he's shooting 31-percent overall, and Mayo says that's because of the pressure San Antonio is applying.

"They're trying to force me to put the ball on the floor," said Mayo, who has been more effective catching and shooting in rhythm.

---> Spurs coach Gregg Popovich spent Sunday lamenting the fact that he has five players (Tony Parker, George Hill, Gary Neal, Antonio McDyess and DeJuan Blair) shooting less than 40 percent, and Manu Ginobili is shooting exactly 40 percent in the series. Meanwhile, the Griz have five players shooting 45 percent or better in the series.

http://blogs.commercialappeal.com/the_memphis_edge/2011/04/notables-between-games-3-and-4.html

[duncan228]

First blood (http://www.48minutesofhell.com/what-memphis-took-from-the-spurs)
by David H. Menendez Aran
48 Minutes of Hell

Three close games have come and gone, and in each one the outcome has only been decided in the final seconds, in the final play. We look up at our opponents from the bottom of a shallow but very real 1-2 hole - but we know and we still believe that the Spurs can play much better, should play much better, will eventually play much better.

Reality dictates that the Spurs have so far been expertly dismantled by Lionel Hollins’ Grizzlies. What was once, during the regular season, a dazzling array of offensive weapons has now become formulaic, predictable grind that is largely dependent on the players individual skill and small stretches of smart passing by the Big Three. With their suffocating man-on-man defense, staying home on the sharpshooters at all times and leaving everyone else wide open, the Grizzlies have removed the threat of the Spurs’s fearsome triple, the keystone of our offense (2 of 15 tonight, down from the 21 attempted triples we average per game). To make matters worse, what few open triples we have had have been squandered, turning a bad situation into a fatal offensive drought.

Keep reading... (http://www.48minutesofhell.com/what-memphis-took-from-the-spurs)

http://www.48minutesofhell.com/what-memphis-took-from-the-spurs

[duncan228]

Just a couple of quotes, hit the link for the whole piece.


Memphis mojo: Dictate tempo (http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2011/04/24/memphis-mojo-dictate-tempo/)
Mike Monroe

...The Grizzlies know it won’t be easy to impose their game plan on a Spurs team from which they expect a desperate effort.

“Anytime you lose a playoff game, you’re frustrated,” said Grizzlies forward Shane Battier. “It’s a terrible feeling. The Spurs are going to come out more focused in Game 4 just because of that nasty taste in the mouth.”

Mayo said he and his teammates retain ultimate respect for the Spurs.

“They’ve got the hearts of champions,” he said. “They’ve had some bumps in the road, but it’s a long series. You never can get too high until the mission is over. We’ve got to stay focused and take care of business.”

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2011/04/24/memphis-mojo-dictate-tempo/

*********************

Spurs Game 4 keys to victory (http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2011/04/24/spurs-game-4-keys-to-victory/)
Jeff McDonald

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2011/04/24/spurs-game-4-keys-to-victory/

[Splits]

Buck Harvey: Rescue of Parker — why not now? (http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2011/04/24/buck-harvey-rescue-of-parker-%e2%80%94-why-not-now/)



MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Sometimes in the arena, sometimes in Memphis streets late at night, the image is there. There’s a blown-up picture of Eva Longoria’s head, wearing a Grizzlies headband, making the rounds.
But Tony Parker has seen worse. He’s gone through these playoff funks for years, whether single, married or divorced. Gregg Popovich has challenged him, and everyone else has doubted him, and that’s a reason to believe in the Spurs tonight.
Parker has recovered before.


http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2011/04/24/buck-harvey-rescue-of-parker-%E2%80%94-why-not-now/

[Fpoonsie]

Ugh.

[Ditty]

damn I will miss this game :(

hopefully my supervisor doesn't close so I can check my phone every 5 minutes or so on the score. Hopefully I don't stress myself, and pray that when I turn on WOAI 1200, it will be talking about the series tied going back to San Antonio. That will make everything way better :).

[TE]

Another potential nail biter :(

[shelshor]

http://www.nba.com/news/referee.html
Referee Assignments
Mon. Apr. 25
San Antonio @ Memphis: Monty McCutchen; Eric Lewis; Bill Spooner; Alternate: Matt Boland

[ducks]

San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said six of nine Spurs are shooting under 40 percent. The Spurs have been outrebounding the Grizzlies, a stat Popovich thought would be a big key coming into this series.

“I’m thrilled with and surprised with, but it was our goal. But we didn’t expect to be shooting this poorly,” Popovich said. “And they deserve some credit for that. Their closeouts have been great. They’ve packed it in and done a really good job defensively.”

packing the lane hurts tp driving
and no one hitting shots

[FromWayDowntown]

http://www.nba.com/news/referee.html
Referee Assignments
Mon. Apr. 25
San Antonio @ Memphis: Monty McCutchen; Eric Lewis; Bill Spooner; Alternate: Matt Boland

Grim-ish numbers on this group:

Since 1997, with:

MONTY MCCUTCHEN

5-7 overall; 2-4 on road; 4-2 in First Round Games

All games:
LOSS -- 2002 WCSF v. LAL (Game 4)
WIN -- 2003 WCFR @ PNX (Game 4)
LOSS -- 2004 WCSF @ LAL (Game 4)
WIN -- 2006 WCFR v. SAC (Game 1)
WIN -- 2007 WCFR v. DEN (Game 2)
LOSS -- 2007 WCF @ UTH (Game 3)
WIN -- 2008 WCFR @ PNX (Game 3)
WIN -- 2008 WCSF v. NO (Game 6)
LOSS -- 2008 WCF @ LAL (Game 5)
LOSS -- 2009 WCFR v. DAL (Game 5)
LOSS -- 2010 WCFR @ DAL (Game 5)
LOSS -- 2010 WCSF v. PNX (Game 4)

BILL SPOONER

6-6 overall; 5-4 on the road; 3-4 in First Round Games

All games:

LOSS -- 1998 WCFR @ PNX (Game 2)
WIN -- 1999 WCFR @ MIN (Game 3)
LOSS -- 2000 WCFR v. PNX (Game 1)
WIN -- 2001 WCFR @ MIN (Game 4)
LOSS -- 2002 WCFR @ SEA (Game 4)
WIN -- 2002 WCSF @ LAL (Game 2)
WIN -- 2003 WCF @ DAL (Game 3)
LOSS -- 2005 WCFR v. DEN (Game 1)
LOSS -- 2005 WCSF @ SEA (Game 4)
WIN -- 2005 WCF @ PNX (Game 2)
LOSS -- 2006 WCSF @ DAL (Game 3)
WIN -- 2010 WCFR v. DAL (Game 6)

ERIC LEWIS

No Spurs Playoff Games

[duncan228]

Views from the other side.


San Antonio Spurs stick to plan (http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/apr/25/san-antonio-sticks-to-plan/)
Trailing 2-1 in series, Spurs look to stay aggressive, improve their shooting
By Ron Higgins
Memphis Commercial Appeal

The last time the San Antonio Spurs trailed 2-1 in an NBA Western Conference best-of-seven first round series was two seasons ago against Dallas.

That's when the Spurs, just like in this current first-round series against the Grizzlies, lost Game 1 at home by 8, won Game 2 at home by 21 and lost Game 3 at Dallas by 21 before dropping the series, 4-1.

Now, heading into tonight's Game 4 against the Griz in FedExForum at 7 p.m., the Spurs are down 2-1, but there's less of a man-overboard mentality because the average Memphis-victory margin in games 1 and 3 has been just three points.

If not for key three-pointers by Griz forwards Shane Battier with 23.9 seconds left in Game 1 eight days ago and Zach Randolph with 41.9 remaining in Game 3 on Saturday, Memphis could have been facing elimination tonight.

Instead, it's the top-seeded Spurs trying to gleam shreds of optimism from the narrow losses.

"Without playing well, we still had opportunities to win both games," said Spurs guard Manu Ginobili, who has averaged 20 points per game in this series after missing the opener trying to mend a sprained right (nonshooting) elbow. "(The Grizzlies) hit big shots (late), but we've got to do things better way before that. We can't expect them to miss a shot for us to win. That's not who we are."

Keep reading... (http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/apr/25/san-antonio-sticks-to-plan/)

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/apr/25/san-antonio-sticks-to-plan/

*********************


Geoff Calkins: Griz ready for most important game ever (http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/apr/25/griz-ready-for-most-important-game-ever/)
By Geoff Calkins
Memphis Commercial Appeal

Tonight at FedExForum, 18,119 fans will jam into the place to watch the most important game in the history of the ...

What's that? I said Saturday's game was the most important?

Yeah. But then the Grizzlies went out and won the thing.

"They just get bigger," said Shane Battier.

Isn't it wonderful how that works?

The games get bigger, the moments get bigger, the opportunities get bigger, too. Once, a fair number of Grizzlies fans would have been happy just to see their team finally win a playoff game. After that was accomplished, well, a home playoff victory sure would be nice.

Now the goal is larger. Now the goal couldn't be more obvious.

"We want to win the series," said Zach Randolph.

"The goal is to win the series," said Mike Conley.

"I think we can win the series," said Mike Heisley. "I really do."

Keep reading... (http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/apr/25/griz-ready-for-most-important-game-ever/)

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/apr/25/griz-ready-for-most-important-game-ever/

*********************


Grizzlies meeting playoffs' challenges one step at a time (http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/apr/25/nba-playoffs-game-4-spurs-at-grizzlies-7-pm-tnt/)
By Ronald Tillery
Memphis Commercial Appeal

There's only one way to sum up the Grizzlies' first postseason appearance in five years: They are exorcising a number of playoff demons at the San Antonio Spurs' expense.

Yet the Grizzlies don't seem to be caught up in the histrionics surrounding their 2-1 series lead heading into Game 4 tonight at FedExForum.

Griz coach Lionel Hollins wouldn't allow his troops to succumb to the pressure of owner Michael Heisley's playoff guarantee. The Griz were numb to the franchise's 0-12 postseason record before this series began.

And now that the eighth-seeded Griz are halfway toward scoring an upset over the top-seeded Spurs, there's this banner hanging over the best-of-seven, first-round match-up: The NBA playoffs have seen the winner of Game 3 go on to win the series 76 percent of the time.

It's notable and also something else Hollins dismisses with laughter. If you think that expectations have shifted in the series then you haven't kept pace with these Grizzlies.

"We've stayed in the moment all season," Hollins said. "We've talked about how you can't worry about what's to come and you can't worry about what happened. All you can talk about is what's at hand. What's at hand is a game (tonight).

"They're going to be difficult games. If (the Spurs) win then we'll be in the same boat we were when we started the series -- having to win in San Antonio to advance in the series."

Keep reading... (http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/apr/25/nba-playoffs-game-4-spurs-at-grizzlies-7-pm-tnt/)

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/apr/25/nba-playoffs-game-4-spurs-at-grizzlies-7-pm-tnt/

[duncan228]

He came from Brazil (http://www.48minutesofhell.com/should_tiago_splitter_play_in_game_4)
by David H. Menendez Aran
48 Minutes of Hell

During the regular season, his “upside” (an euphemism for height and athleticism, usually, or just height in this case) and limited minutes were enough to make many Spurs fans’ mouths water. If the Spurs were at the top of the league without a honest-to-goodness backup center, what could the Spurs be if Tiago became, if Tiago was? The first loss to the Grizzlies only exacerbated that feeling, since Memphis’ success depended largely on the scoring of the Gasol-Randolph twin towers. Bonner was easily pushed around, Blair could be shot over, and Gasol was able to play Tim Duncan fairly, one-on-one. Yet losing the first game of the playoffs was old news - the Spurs had been there, gotten the t-shirt.

Losing Game 3 was the proverbial straw the broke the poor camel’s back. The uproar has been heard in every Spurs-centered forum and blog, with threads of all sorts flooding the sites. Fire Popovich, trade Parker, throw Tony Allen in a trunk, burn the AT&T down. And as the insults and wild theories spread, the savior has been anointed: Tiago Splitter must play now.

And why not? Tiago’s strengths are well known by Spurs enthusiasts. He is perhaps the second best defensive big man in the Spurs roster, even trumping McDyess’ bottomless court savvy with his ever-improving help defense and unflappable presence around the hoop. McDyess is hurt, and Popovich has been losing faith in Blair, as evidenced by his diminishing playing time through the series (Game 1: 21:55; Game 2: 13:04; Game 3: 9:37). If there were ever minutes available for Tiago, it is now, right?

Keep reading... (http://www.48minutesofhell.com/should_tiago_splitter_play_in_game_4)

http://www.48minutesofhell.com/should_tiago_splitter_play_in_game_4

*********************


On cannibalism and composure (http://www.48minutesofhell.com/on-cannibalization-and-composure)
by Timothy Varner
48 Minutes of Hell

At the outset of the series, I called our attention to a positively unSpursian trend of San Antonio’s recent play (http://www.48minutesofhell.com/on-the-death-of-stops). Namely, the Spurs are not showing an ability to close games. San Antonio’s laughably sophomoric late game execution is a storyline no one saw coming.

This inability to execute was nowhere more obvious than the end of Game 3 (http://eye-on-basketball.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/22748484/28779270). Tim Duncan may have been calling for timeout as the clock expired, but the fact remains the Spurs rebounded the ball with 6.6 seconds remaining. Gregg Popovich had an opportunity to call a timeout and draw up a play. He didn’t. Neither did the Spurs. Tim Duncan’s attempted timeout was too little, too late.

This is the sort of short circuit one expects from other teams. No one expects it from the Spurs. This is something that simply doesn’t happen to the Popovich/Duncan Spurs. Except it did.

Keep reading... (http://www.48minutesofhell.com/on-cannibalization-and-composure)

http://www.48minutesofhell.com/on-cannibalization-and-composure

[duncan228]

Sleepless in Memphis, Spurs face another must-win (http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2011/04/24/sleepless-in-memphis-spurs-face-another-must-win/)
Jeff McDonald

...Heading into Game 4, the Spurs still have life. Return from Memphis with the series tied 2-2, and everything shifts again. Suddenly, the pressure is on the Grizzlies, the Spurs are in control and order is restored to the Western Conference playoffs.

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursnation/2011/04/24/sleepless-in-memphis-spurs-face-another-must-win/