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“I just want Tim to know that,” Hollins said. “Tim, we weren’t seeking you out.”at Hollins trying to avoid the fury of Tim Duncan. Too late, Mr. Hollins.
Game One is Sunday, 12:00 CST on TNT.
Series Previews
http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=176954
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/preview?gid=2011041724Memphis at San Antonio
Tipoff: 1:00 pm EDT Sun Apr 17, 2011
TV: TNT, FSSW
By Paul J. Weber
No one even asked Memphis coach Lionel Hollins about it. He just waited for nearly two dozen cameramen and reporters to huddle around Saturday, then spoke directly to one person who wasn’t even there.
“I just want to say this for Tim Duncan,” Hollins began.
Right. About that.
“We did not tank the season so we can get the San Antonio Spurs,” he said.
Hollins was playfully needling the two-time MVP. But after Duncan said “they chose to play us” in reference to the Grizzlies sitting their stars and dropping their last two games—losses that assured Memphis the No. 8 seed— Hollins couldn’t resist responding before Game 1 on Sunday.
His levity seemed fitting for a team facing little pressure ahead of this series. Eighth seeds are 3-51 against No. 1s in NBA history. The Grizzlies are 0-12 in the playoffs and are in the postseason for the first time since 2006. Winning one game would make franchise history.
Then there’s the Spurs.
They’re back atop the West after a 61-win resurgence and mindful this could be their last shot for a fifth le in the Duncan era. Not that it’s made San Antonio the conference favorite for the NBA finals.
So when the Grizzlies rested Tony Allen and Zach Randolph in their last two games, in addition to Mike Conley in the finale, the Spurs saw Memphis as not exactly eager to improve its seeding and possibly face the Los Angeles Lakers or Dallas instead.
“They played us well the last couple of games,” Duncan said Friday. “They feel they match up well against us. They chose to play us, they got us, and we’ll see what happens.”
Spurs guard George Hill noticed, too.
“I don’t know why they want us so bad,” Hill said. “It was 2-2 (in the regular season). That’s 50 percent. But if they want to take their chances against us, bring it, I guess.”
Hollins insisted that wasn’t it at all.
“My thought process had nothing to do with the San Antonio Spurs,” Hollins said. “It had to do with us being healthy coming into this series, whatever series it was going to be.”
The Spurs, of all teams, can relate to wanting to stay healthy.
They lost All-Star Manu Ginobili to a sprained right elbow in their season finale Wednesday against Phoenix, a game that was largely meaningless beyond trying to stay above Chicago for the NBA’s best record. A night earlier, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich didn’t play his stars against the Lakers.
Ginobili is doubtful for the postseason opener. But San Antonio’s second-leading scorer was already back shooting jumpers Saturday, and his teammates seem to think he’s OK to play.
“For me, it’s almost impossible he’s not going to play,” guard Tony Parker said.
Parker, along with Ginobili and Duncan, are the only Spurs remaining from the 2003-04 team that swiftly ended Memphis’ first playoff appearance in franchise history, sweeping the Grizzlies in four games. Seven years later, Memphis is still waiting for its first postseason win.
Forward Shane Battier was on that 2004 Memphis team, before being traded to Houston and then back to the Grizzlies this season. Battier said Saturday he can’t figure out why some people think Memphis tanked its final two games in order to play the No. 1 seed.
Same for Allen.
“They don’t come to me and say, ‘Hey, T.A., this is what we’re going to do.’ Me, personally, I was hurt,” the guard said of sitting out the last two games. “As far as tanking, I don’t know nothing about that. So I’m not the one to talk to about that.”
Hollins was. But he was only talking to one person out there.
“I just want Tim to know that,” Hollins said. “Tim, we weren’t seeking you out.”
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Team Stat Leaders
Points
Zach Randolph Mem 20.1
Tony Parker SA 17.5
Rebounds
Zach Randolph Mem 12.2
Tim Duncan SA 8.9
Assists
Mike Conley Mem 6.5
Tony Parker SA 6.6
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Series Breakdown
“I just want Tim to know that,” Hollins said. “Tim, we weren’t seeking you out.”
Ooops...too late.
Hollins skeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrreeeed
If Hollins could have back-pedaled that fast as a guard with the Blazers he would have made the All-Star team every year. Someone tell Lionel its ok.
http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursna...%99-best-move/Buck Harvey: Sit, Manu: Why it is the Spurs’ best move
Buck Harvey
Manu Ginobili will probably play today.
And he shouldn’t.
Instead, he should give his right elbow a few more days of rest, especially against a Memphis team likely to bend it. He should remember the Spurs’ le chances won’t be decided by this one game. And he should understand his absence will force George Hill and Gary Neal to be better.
But there’s something else, and some on staff acknowledge this.
Ginobili should also see the psychology of the move.
Keep reading...
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http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursna...in-the-script/Is Ginobili return in the script?
Mike Monroe
A brace on his right arm limiting full extension of his sprained right elbow, Spurs guard Manu Ginobili was on the court at the close of the Spurs practice session on Saturday, working on his shot.
It was enough to encourage teammates. Some now believe he will suit up for today’s playoff game at AT&T Center against the Memphis Grizzlies.
Keep reading...
Views from the other side.
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news...uncan-apology/Sunday Best: Lionel Hollins doesn't owe Tim Duncan an apology
By Ron Higgins
Memphis Commercial Appeal
Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins hadn't been asked a question yet when he met with the media after Saturday's practice here at AT&T Center.
He just started talking into the cameras, wishing to send a message to Spurs' center Tim Duncan, just in time for today's opening game against the Grizzlies in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs.
Duncan reportedly was miffed that Hollins didn't play some of his starters in regular-season ending road losses to Portland and the Clippers. He felt Hollins had his team tank games to clinch the No. 8 seed, because it wanted to play the top-seeded Spurs, which the Grizzlies beat twice in March in Memphis, rather than the second-seeded and defending league champion Los Angeles Lakers.
In other words, Duncan and his teammates felt disrespected.
Feel free to yawn here, but Hollins didn't.
Keep reading...
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Spurs experienced, Memphis Grizzlies hope to overcome that
By Ron Higgins
Memphis Commercial Appeal
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news...purs-noon-tnt/
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Memphis Grizzlies' postseason newcomers have key roles against Spurs
Ronald Tillery
Memphis Commercial Appeal
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news...-for-playoffs/
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GRIZZLIES PLAYOFF PREVIEW: Memphis vs. San Antonio Spurs
By Ronald Tillery
Memphis Commercial Appeal
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news...-230913069843/
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Geoff Calkins: Memphis Grizzlies can change their reputation with some playoff success
Geoff Calkins
Memphis Commercial Appeal
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news...ion-with-some/
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