At the end of the day...

[deibero]

do you guys think this OT win was better than the blowout we wanted?

i mean, for momentum, demoralization of the grizz, our confidence etc...

or you would have rather have a 30pt win?

[honestfool84]

OT win.

Memphis thought they had it... and the lost it.

[Venti Quattro]

If the Spurs really wanted to instill doubt in the Grizzlies they should have beat them thoroughly and shut down Gasol and Randolph in Game 5.

:lol thinking a lucky shot will demoralize the upstart Grizzlies. Get the fuck out

[Fireball]

A blowout would have meant that the Grizzlies were relying on closing the series at home. They tried everything to win this game and came up short, so I like the OT win better. However, our guys will not look fresh with only one day of rest before Fridays game 6 ...

[spurs_fan_in_exile]

With the exception of game 4 these games have come down to execution and hitting shots down the stretch. I expect game 6 and 7 will as well. In light of that it's better to win the way they did last night.

[Venti Quattro]

A blowout also means the Spurs main players get rest before game 6. What happened is the Grizzlies took the Spurs best shot and barely got beat by a shot that never should have happened had they wisened up a beat.

But all the credit in the world to Gary Neal, he saved the Spurs.

[Budkin]

If the Spurs really wanted to instill doubt in the Grizzlies they should have beat them thoroughly and shut down Gasol and Randolph in Game 5.

:lol thinking a lucky shot will demoralize the upstart Grizzlies. Get the fuck out

It's tough for teams to recover from shit like that. See .04 or Duncan's 3 against the Suns.

[Horse]

It's just what we wanted with this team. It gives Pop all the reason to stay on their ass and maintain there focus. I remember 03 I think we were up like 25 or something crazy like that against la, we ended up winning by 2 when horry missed a 3 at the buzzer. It made us stay focused and I believe we won by 28 closing them out, ending the 3-peat and making kobe cry! Ah the good old days.

[nkdlunch]

this win helps the Spurs psyche a lot more than hurt the Grizz psyche.

[Cessation]

Spurs were in control most of the game, they looked much better. I think a close loss is worse mentally than a blowout. In ot the grizz looked less confident.

[peacemaker885]

this win helps the Spurs psyche a lot more than hurt the Grizz psyche.

+1
I would take this win any day, but like said above - a blowout would have been better. I don't think that 3 lucky shots would dampen the psyche of the Grizzlies.

[Juggity]

I like the "fuck you" factor of this game for sheer catharsis, but in terms of a convincing victory, this one was not.

[will_spurs]

I would take this win any day, but like said above - a blowout would have been better. I don't think that 3 lucky shots would dampen the psyche of the Grizzlies.

I think this is a lot worse than a blowout, to be honest. A blowout is pretty much what the Grizz gave the Spurs in Game 4 and look what happened. A blowout is what we dealt to Miami and again look what happened.

At this level of play a blowout is a statistical aberration that can easily be shrugged off.

A close loss like this with a miracle shot at the end can really put a team into serious doubt, thinking "we did what we have to do and they still won". I much prefer how it ended yesterday, giving the Spurs a much needed lift going forward, and crushing the Grizzlies' dream if but for one night. Of course if you had asked me with 2.2 seconds remaining on the clock in the 4th I would have preferred a blowout :lol

TL;DR: the worst on a psychological level is when you fight for something till the end and it gets away from you at the last second.

[JamStone]

Grizz were playing with house money. Came back from a big deficit. And almost won the game on the road of a #1 seed. I don't think it hurts their psyche or confidence at all. I think they're pissed they lost the game. But I think they also think because they should have won game 5, they know they can beat the Spurs. Having the next game at Memphis bodes well for them. If they lose game 6, then the doubts will creep in. I don't think that's the case after game 5. Don't think they're demoralized at all.

[Dex]

I think losing the nail-biter has a bigger mental effect on the Grizzlies psyche. Maybe it doesn't hurt their confidence as much, per se, but it packs the bigger punch to the gut.

If the Grizzlies came out and laid down, then it would be pretty easy for them to pack it up and take it home for Game 6. Credit it to a bad game, whatever. They could just burn the tape and move on.

Losing to a buzzer-beater, however, takes the wind out of your sails. You know that for a few moments last night, the Grizzlies were already packing their bags and looking ahead to Round 2. They had battled hard and made the right moves and genuinely thought they had earned the closeout victory, only to see if evaporate. Now, they have to try to do it all over again in Memphis.

Grizzlies do not want to let this series come back to San Antonio, especially since the momentum would have to be the Spurs' favor at that point.

[Solid D]

If the Spurs really wanted to instill doubt in the Grizzlies they should have beat them thoroughly and shut down Gasol and Randolph in Game 5.

:lol thinking a lucky shot will demoralize the upstart Grizzlies. Get the **** out

It effected the Spurs that way in 2004 on Fisher's .4 seconds shot (**cough**where the shot clock didn't start until Fisher released it).

[JamStone]

It's important to note that this happened on the road and the next game is in Memphis. The .04 shot happened on the Spurs court and the Lakers closed it out in LA. That's why the "psyche" argument is not similar. The Grizz can regroup and get to play in front of their home crowd the next game to take the series. If the same exact thing that happened last night happened in game 6 in Memphis, then I would think the Grizz were finished. That's not the case here. It should give them confidence that they almost took the series against the #1 seed Spurs on the Spurs home court.

[Reck]

A blowout also means the Spurs main players get rest before game 6. What happened is the Grizzlies took the Spurs best shot and barely got beat by a shot that never should have happened had they wisened up a beat.

But all the credit in the world to Gary Neal, he saved the Spurs.

Rest? What rest?

Spurs always blow their lead when leading by 15+.

It pretty much happens 3 out of 5 blowout games. You can always count on the Spurs to bail out the competition.

OTs are better for confidence. It gives the Spurs a ton of confidence and none to the Grizzlies.

Even a little doubt by the Grizzlies will be enough for the Spurs to rape.

Truth is, if the Spurs play like they normally do, they will win at least game 6. If the play like game 3-4 they are done.

[Jimcs50]

I loss like this always is worse than a blowout. Players have so many what ifs when they lose a game like this...it gnaws at you, and maybe just maybe carrys over to next game. If Memphis got blown out, they forget about it in a minute and get ready for next game, no questions asked.

I think this is just what the doctor ordered for Spurs to pull out this series, to be honest.

In fact, I'm going to predict that Spurs win their next 4 games, all because of this miracle win.

Spurs will be 2-0 on Thunder in conference semis.....I'll bet wine on that.

[Solid D]

It's important to note that this happened on the road and the next game is in Memphis. The .04 shot happened on the Spurs court and the Lakers closed it out in LA. That's why the "psyche" argument is not similar. The Grizz can regroup and get to play in front of their home crowd the next game to take the series. If the same exact thing that happened last night happened in game 6 in Memphis, then I would think the Grizz were finished. That's not the case here. It should give them confidence that they almost took the series against the #1 seed Spurs on the Spurs home court.

Maybe so. I just know it affected the Spurs in 2004. Duncan's 3, 2 OT win supposedly affected the Suns psyche, even though it was in Game 1. The Memorial Day Miracle supposedly affected the psyche of Portland in '99, also.

There is a chance this Game 5 result affects the psyche of Memphis. If not, and they beat the Spurs, all credit goes to Memphis. They have been impressive.

[DJ Mbenga]

gasol and randolph lost no confidence. they can continue to rape anyone not named duncan. mayo probably lost confidence in his defense but we all know it was never there to begin with

[JamStone]

Maybe so. I just know it affected the Spurs in 2004. Duncan's 3, 2 OT win supposedly affected the Suns psyche, even though it was in Game 1. The Memorial Day Miracle supposedly affected the psyche of Portland in '99, also.

There is a chance this Game 5 result affects the psyche of Memphis. If not, and they beat the Spurs, all credit goes to Memphis. They have been impressive.

In 2004, you're also talking about the Lakers going up 3-2 on the Spurs with that win. The Spurs win last night only saved them from getting eliminated. The win didn't even put Memphis on the brink. It's not just the homecourt/on the road part. Last night's win was great for the Spurs. But I just don't see it as demoralizing at all for the Grizz. They're still up 3-2. They still get to play the next game at home. To me, they're still playing with house money. The Spurs haven't even put the Grizz on the brink of elimination yet.

If Spurs win game 6, it's a different story. I don't see any damaged psyche or confidence in the Grizz because of last night's game.

[Sean Cagney]

this win helps the Spurs psyche a lot more than hurt the Grizz psyche.

True, they had been f ing up bad down the stretches of games lately and the GRIZ lights out! Spurs may have gotten some confidence in it to close out some games.

[Pauleta14]

this win helps the Spurs psyche a lot more than hurt the Grizz psyche.

[Solid D]

Psyche damage doesn't involve reason. You are using reason. Besides, I am a Spurs fan, so believing the Grizzlies psyche may be affected involves hope and belief, not reason. :)

[boutons_deux]

The best effect for this kind of win is restoring the Spurs' confidence, battered by that losing streak a few weeks ago, getting man-handled by the Grizz, getting punked by 2 game-winning Grizz 3Gs, esp Randolph's fluke 3G.

If Tony's jumper is back, if Pop keeps Blair out, puts Matty in the doghouse for defensive screw-ups, keeps giving minutes to Tiago, we'll be OK. And Manu's brace seems to be a little smaller and his arm is probably getting a little better every day.

I don't see how getting Tiago and Tim to keep out of each other's way is so damn hard to do for these two vets.

[igruex]

Manu said "We didn't show a champion's heart. We just got lucky" I think that's pretty clear. Manu also said MEM played way better. I don't know if he's just being plain honest, he's calling out his team or he's trying to put the pressure on MEM, something like "we just got lucky and won, now if you don't get game 6..."

[widowmaker]

A blowout also means the Spurs main players get rest before game 6. What happened is the Grizzlies took the Spurs best shot and barely got beat by a shot that never should have happened had they wisened up a beat.

But all the credit in the world to Gary Neal, he saved the Spurs.

Go talk about the lakers somewhere else motherfucker this is a spurs forum. Don't worry about what the spurs are doing worry about ur own team.

[will_spurs]

In 2004, you're also talking about the Lakers going up 3-2 on the Spurs with that win. The Spurs win last night only saved them from getting eliminated. The win didn't even put Memphis on the brink. It's not just the homecourt/on the road part. Last night's win was great for the Spurs. But I just don't see it as demoralizing at all for the Grizz. They're still up 3-2. They still get to play the next game at home. To me, they're still playing with house money. The Spurs haven't even put the Grizz on the brink of elimination yet.

If Spurs win game 6, it's a different story. I don't see any damaged psyche or confidence in the Grizz because of last night's game.

I think the implications are obvious: winning game 5 on the road and the job was done. Now of course they go back home and it's not strictly a must-win game, since there's always game 7, but the psychology element is that it's not the way they will look at it. Game 6 IS actually a must-win for both teams, because going back to SA for Game 7 is the last thing the Grizz want. So that will put pressure on them to close out for the first time in this series. Let's see if the same blood run in their veins as in Neal's.

[spursfanincolorado]

The best effect for this kind of win is restoring the Spurs' confidence, battered by that losing streak a few weeks ago, getting man-handled by the Grizz, getting punked by 2 game-winning Grizz 3Gs, esp Randolph's fluke 3G.

If Tony's jumper is back, if Pop keeps Blair out, puts Matty in the doghouse for defensive screw-ups, keeps giving minutes to Tiago, we'll be OK. And Manu's brace seems to be a little smaller and his arm is probably getting a little better every day.

I don't see how getting Tiago and Tim to keep out of each other's way is so damn hard to do for these two vets.

This -

A few missed threes on game one (Battier) and game three (ZBo) and the Spurs could be up 3-1 or 3-2.

Do they deserve to be leading based on the way they have played? NO, of course not. I hope they can stay alive and play lights out and bring it back to SA for the close out...

[rascal]

A blowout is better. That would mean the spurs were playing better. The spurs still need to play better than they did in the last game if they want to get both games.