Coming back from a disastrous first quarter when the Grizzlies' pressure defense was just too much to handle, the Spurs played some awesome, patient ball to get back into the game and finally win it.

It was almost like Sisyphus climbing up the mountain and scaling it in over-time. Some fantastic performances from unexpected quarters -

1) Bonner was huge this game. Did very well to keep Randolph at bay when Splitter and Duncan were in relative foul trouble and did well to spread the floor and to keep being a threat. He has really done well this playoffs. Excellent numbers after a history of failure in the post-season. 2013 is the Red Mamba's coming through party.

2) Splitter played excellently well as well. All of us expected the Randolph-Gasol front court to play the high-low game and dominate, instead it is Splitter-Duncan which has done that. One can say with a guarantee now - the Duncan-Splitter combination is the best frontcourt in the league. Splitter is getting paid in the offseason.

3) Duncan had a magnificent night. The way he set up the offense by constant movement/ P&R action and elbow positioning.... Van Gundy mentioned how the evolution of Duncan from 4-down/post up play to adapt to the smaller ball/ fast P&R game was phenomenal..

4) Ginobili's play was the catalyst in the first half. It was bold of Popovich to take out the entire starting 5 after their dismal start and bring in a fresh bunch from the bench. No other coach would have done something as radical as that and got his team to respond. Kudos to Ginobili for anchoring the bench and providing the comeback trigger that the Spurs desperately needed in the first quarter.

5) Parker was very sloppy - dismal in the 1st quarter - but kept pulling a rabbit from his hat now & then.

6) Green & Leonard are the other important chameleons for the Spurs. They played excellent defense on Conley and rebounded and spaced the floor so well. Revelations - these kids.

I don't expect the Spurs to win Game 4 though. They have expended a lot of energy and I think they will be a little flat in Game 4. But I expect them to surely win Game 5.

Go Spurs Go! Drive for 5!