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Good. That should add fuel to the fire and some of the younger Spurs (like Hill) seem to play best when they feel slighted.
Geoff Calkins: Not all a loss in Memphis Grizzlies' wacky playoff chase
By Geoff Calkins
Memphis Commercial Appeal
Fifteen minutes after their game was done, the Grizzlies players sat in their locker room, eyes fixed on the big screen TV.
The Sacramento Kings were putting the finishing touches on the Houston Rockets.
“Does that take some of the sting out of your game?” I asked Marc Gasol.
Zach Randolph didn’t wait for Gasol to answer.
“ , yes,” he said. “It sure does.”
So the Grizzlies lost to the Clippers 82-81 Tuesday night but they drew closer to clinching a spot in the playoffs anyway. Such is life in this strange, cluttered and oddly mesmerizing Western Conference playoff race.
Before we get to the events of the evening, how about taking a moment to appreciate the chase, to revel in the nightly intrigue these Grizzlies have given us?
I happened to spend the weekend at an Idlewild Presbyterian Church camp in middle Tennessee, tucked deep in a valley, where there’s no cell reception whatsoever and, as a result of that, no NBA scores.
Most years, this is not an issue. This year, it absolutely was.
“Do you know if the Grizzlies won?”
“Have you heard a Grizzlies score?”
“Anyone know what happened in the Grizzlies-Hornets game?”
Finally, someone got in a car and drove to a nearby rise, returning with the joyous report.
“There’s definitely a buzz,” said John Pugliese, senior director of marketing communications for the Grizzlies. “It feels a little bit like ’03-04.”
That year, the Grizzlies clinched their playoff spot well before the season ended. This year, there’s all kinds of suspense. Not only do we not know if the Grizzlies will make the playoffs — although it would take a massive collapse to miss out at this point — we don’t have the slightest idea where they’ll finish or who they’ll play if they do.
They could still finish sixth, seventh or eighth. Which means they could play the teams that finish third, second or first. But which teams will those be? And in what order? Nobody has the slightest idea.
Let’s say you’re a Griz fan who wants to draw anyone but the Lakers. What do you root for on a given night? Do you root for the Grizzlies to win and move from the eighth spot to the seventh spot? Even if that means drawing the second-seeded Lakers instead of the top-seeded San Antonio Spurs?
But what if the Lakers overtake the Spurs for the top seed? Wouldn’t that mean you really would rather be seventh than eighth? Or maybe you’re still hoping to finish sixth and draw third-seeded Dallas? Would that matchup be best?
“We just have to worry about ourselves,” said Tony Allen.
Which is true, of course. Especially after what happened Tuesday night. The Grizzlies have every right to complain about an officiating train wreck that effectively ended the game.
With the Grizzlies down by 1 with 5.7 seconds left, Eric Bledsoe barreled into Allen for a clear charge. That’s how everyone in the building saw it, including Tony Brothers, one of the officials. But Violet Palmer, another official, called it as a block.
So they called a jump ball at center court. The Clippers won the jump and the game. But nobody in the Grizzlies locker room was confused as to why they lost this one.
“It was our fault,” said Randolph. “We gave it away.”
The Grizzlies shot a Butleresque 39.5 percent from the field. O.J. Mayo and Darrell Arthur combined to go 1 for 16. Grizzlies were outrebounded in the second half, 28-20.
“It was a dogfight,” said Lionel Hollins.
With the clear emphasis on dog.
The good news is that the rest of the night really did seem to work out OK, especially if you’re one of those who figures the Lakers would be the worst first-round draw. Houston’s loss to Sacramento means the Grizzlies can still clinch a playoff spot by winning their next two home games. They could clinch as early as Friday against Sacramento, if Houston loses to New Orleans tonight.
Beyond all that, the Lakers lost to Utah and the Spurs defeated Atlanta, making it unlikely that the Lakers will catch the Spurs for the top seed. So unless the Grizzlies can catch Portland for the sixth spot — and Portland also lost Tuesday — the Grizzlies really might be best served by not moving up past the eighth spot. You following all this?
The glory is in pursuit, in the exquisite feeling that comes from being a part of it all. No, the Grizzlies didn’t win Tuesday. But the loss mattered. How great is that? In this year, in this city, they all matter now.
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news...playoff-chase/
The chatter is starting now..
The elephant in the room....
Good. That should add fuel to the fire and some of the younger Spurs (like Hill) seem to play best when they feel slighted.
If they think they can beat us because they won the last two games at home while we were injured, they're in for a rude awakening.
Without Gay, in the playoffs, I think that team can win one home game.
^ this
5 games, max
Spurs will sweep Grizz or at most give them one game - book it now, they have actually played LAL just as tough this year.
See, you have to understand that while the Grizzlies have been to the playoffs several times in the past, they've ALWAYS been swept. The Grizzlies have yet to EVER win a playoff game. It's all about notching that first post-season win - not the series.
0-12
If they could go 1-16 they would feel GREAT.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=memphispost
Memphis will win game one of the series vs. the Spurs...
I may be in the minority on this one, but I want the Spurs to face the Grizz rather than the Hornets. The main reason being their frontcourt size - IMO it's the best way to prepare for an eventual meeting with LA. The Spurs' frontcourt will have their hands full keeping ZBo and Gasol under control, and hopefully that helps them raise their game.
Also, playing Memphis fractionally increases the chance that Pop goes to Splitter, after Bonner gets owned on the boards. Aw, who am I kidding, Pop is never playing Splitter any meaningful minutes this year, even if Memphis exposes Bonner for the fraud that he is
That's crazy. Memphis won't tank anything until they secure a playoff berth and 1 and 2 seeds are locked.
The spurs will not sweep Memphis. Memphis will push the spurs to the max but the spurs will still top them.
Id still rather play the hornets
Bring the Grizz. Spurs in 5.
Memphis will win game one of the series vs. the Spurs...
Good! we also lost game 1 of the 1st round in 2003 and 2005...
Doesn't matter, if Spurs think they are a championship team they should be able to beat anybody.
non issue
We will sweep them
4-0 book it
Issue will be after the won series when the Spurs team will only have half of their roster available ... I mean just look at the injuries that occured against the Grizzlies
Really? Awesome!! Who whould have guessed, it's all about thinking we're a championship team.
Just kidding.
I just fear Marc Gas Oil or someone gets ejected for injurying one of the big 3, and thus, even if we make it to the second round, ending our championship race.
Now NOH seems to be a much less violent team.
yes the spurs will sweep the grizz....book it
lol grizz
I think this sort of speculation is what the media does, but not the players. Memphis is setting themselves up for failure if they play 'down' to keep the eight seed because they're afraid to play LA. I don't believe they'd do that, but perhaps I'm naive. Talk about motivating your opponent...SA will actually be pumped up and have serious motivation to play them should this happen on purpose -- not something many 1 seeds have when facing the 8.
This...
...and this.
That's fine. Much rather play Memphis then Portland.
I'm not worried about them beating the Spurs at all. I am worried about LA's farm team banging up the Spurs or injuring someone enough that they miss several games/the playoffs.
I remember the made Kings pulled this back in '04 so they didn't have to face the Lakers in the semis, so annoying. One of the few times I was happy to see a KG-led team advance.
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