Spurs vs Grizzlies Game Two Previews

[Mugen]

TP has no room to be y until all is said and done on the court. He should know better.

Tony being Tony. No problem with what he said as long as he backs it up tomorrow. He usually does.

[duncan228]

Just a couple of the questions, hit the link for the whole interview.

Q&A: Conley on the Grizzlies' lineup, series with the Spurs
By J. Michael Falgoust
USA TODAY

The Memphis Grizzlies head into Game 2 vs. the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday ahead 1-0 and with a chance to put the team with the best record in the Western Conference on the ropes.

Led by Zach Randolph's 25 points and 14 rebounds, Memphis won its first playoff game in the franchise's 16-year history in Game 1. The Grizzlies have overcome a season-ending injury to small forward Rudy Gay, inconsistent bench play, the relegation of shooting guard O.J. Mayo from the starting lineup and his botched trade to the Indiana Pacers.

Point guard Mike Conley, one of three Grizzlies to sign long-term extensions this season, talked with USA TODAY's J. Michael Falgoust this week:

...How different is it playing the Spurs without Manu Ginobili?

With Ginobili they are a different team and able to attack in different ways and do things that a lot of players in the NBA can't do. When they don't have him you'll see a more aggressive Tony Parker, a more aggressive Tim Duncan, George Hill, Gary Neal, all these guys. You still have your hands full. It's still a great team, with or without Ginobili.


...Is there one thing the Grizzlies must do — above all others — to knock off the Spurs, what is that?

Continue to move the ball side to side. That's the biggest key because if we just settle for first options the Spurs will kill us. They're a very good defensive team. As long as we are able to move the ball, give them different looks, misdirection looks, it's hard to defend any team in the NBA that swings the ball and throws it in the post pretty quick and let the big guy go to work.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baske...nterview_N.htm

[DPG21920]

Game is Wednesday, 7:30 CST, nationally on NBA TV and locally on FSSW.

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http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursna...ges-in-game-2/

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Practice Video 4-18-11

http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=177347

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http://www.48minutesof .com/san-a...gasol-randolph

I said the same thing after game 1. What major adjustments can they make? It's not like MEM did anything tricky. They run the same stuff over and over and they do it with discipline. Only a few times (early in the game) did they break away from their offense (Randolph 3PT attempt and Sam Young quick shot).

[Spurs Brazil]

It looks like the Spurs didn't practice today

[shelshor]

http://www.nba.com/news/referee.html
Referee Assignment
Wed. Apr. 20
Memphis @ San Antonio: Scott Foster; Ron Garretson; Leon Wood; Alternate: Gary Zielinski

[EVAY]

http://www.nba.com/news/referee.html
Referee Assignment
Wed. Apr. 20
Memphis @ San Antonio: Scott Foster; Ron Garretson; Leon Wood; Alternate: Gary Zielinski

Glad it is not Javie. Javie is always looking to help the road team. Unless it is the spurs.

[Spursmania]

I'm nervous about this game. The grizzlies are hungry and have the monkey off their back. I wish we could depend more on our role players like Hill, Bonner and Blair to really contribute.

[Fireball]

What would you have liked to be Tonys answer?

"Oh, definitely Charles is right. Memphis is indeed going to win the series. Definitely".

Yeah right.

[FromWayDowntown]

http://www.nba.com/news/referee.html
Referee Assignment
Wed. Apr. 20
Memphis @ San Antonio: Scott Foster; Ron Garretson; Leon Wood; Alternate: Gary Zielinski

For whatever it's worth, some data:

PLAYOFF GAMES (since 1990), Spurs with:

Scott Foster
6-4 overall; 2-2 at home; 4-3 in First Round games

Ron Garretson
19-11 overall; 13-6 at home; 1-3 in First Round games

Leon Wood
2-0 overall; 1-0 at home; 2-0 in First Round games

[Fireball]

For whatever it's worth, some data

I didn't even know such statistics do exist ... and it tells us: nothing

Just win the game !!!

[FromWayDowntown]

Glad it is not Javie. Javie is always looking to help the road team. Unless it is the spurs.

By the way, this is historically incorrect. Since 1990, of the officials who've done more than 5 Spurs road playoff games, the Spurs have done better on the road with only 1 official -- Scott Foster (4-2) -- than they have with Steve Javie (10-6)

[Fireball]

Steve Javie is a good referee ... I think he is a little more relaxed nowadays ... did he not have an illness or something?

[FromWayDowntown]

Steve Javie is a good referee ... I think he is a little more relaxed nowadays ... did he not have an illness or something?

Javie is, to me, the best official in the game. The perception that he favors road teams is, I think, false; I think he's just not particularly swayed by home crowds the way that many others can. He's definitely mellowed out over time; 15 years ago, he was antagonistic enough to make David Robinson curse in a post-game press conference (which is saying something).

[shelshor]

Steve Javie is a good referee ... I think he is a little more relaxed nowadays ... did he not have an illness or something?

IIRC-Javie missed most of 2009-10 with a knee injury & surgery

[tdunk21]

damn NBA tv.......gotta watch this game online

[duncan228]

Grizzlies want to get greedy for Game 2
Mike Monroe

...Hollins has some playoff-savvy veterans to reinforce his message. Leading scorer Zach Randolph, with eight playoff games as a member of the Trail Blazers, also understands postseason dynamics.

“I tell (the young players) we can’t be satisfied with just getting a split,” he said. “We’ve got to try to be greedy and come back and win the second game and understand we’re here to win a series and not just win one game.

“I know it will be a tough game. It will be a dogfight and a physical battle. We’ve got to get ready and mentally ready, too.”

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursna...dy-for-game-2/

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Game 2: Spurs’ keys to victory vs. Grizzlies
Jeff McDonald

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursna...-vs-grizzlies/

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Stakes higher, so Blair sacrifices favorite foods
Mike Monroe

...So far, he said, he has lost between 15 and 20 pounds in a little more than two weeks. Maintaining dietary discipline is easy, he said, because the stakes are so high.

“Pop told me they were going to need me,” Blair said. “I’ve got to be ready at all times.”

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursna...avorite-foods/

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Mayo likes him some Manu
Tim Griffin

..."He’s a great player, an All-Star. A terrific playmaker,” Mayo said. “I couldn’t wait to meet or play against him because he’s so versatile.”

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursna...him-some-manu/

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Spurs don’t see Manu taking superhero role
Jeff McDonald

..."It’s not like he gets back and it’s, ‘We got Manu, we’ll be fine,’” forward Richard Jefferson said. “We’ve got to approach it with the intensity we approached the last game.”

http://blog.mysanantonio.com/spursna...uperhero-role/

[ajballer4]

Didnt realize they had alternates for Refs

[duncan228]

Views from the other side.

Grizzlies brace for return of Spurs' Manu Ginobili for Game 2
San Antonio hopes he's ready to play
By Ron Higgins
Memphis Commercial Appeal

Grizzlies assistant coach Damon Stoudamire spent the last 31 games of his 13-year NBA career as a member of the San Antonio Spurs at the end of the 2007-08 season.

His final pro stop was just long enough for him to get a clear understanding of the talent possessed by teammate Manu Ginobili.

"One night against Cleveland and LeBron James, he had 46 points (on 15-of-20 field goals, including 8-of-11 threes) and it was the easiest 46 points I'd ever seen," Stoudamire said. "Manu just has so many different ways to get it done."

Keep reading...

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news...n-of-ginobili/

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Emergence of young floor general Mike Conley big part of Grizzlies' success
By Ronald Tillery
Memphis Commercial Appeal

He is no longer a conundrum.

Those days are history.

Mike Conley is confident, and the Grizzlies' calm, collected and uncontested answer at point guard.

The 23-year-old floor general also will wake up this morning having to play a big role in an important subplot to the Grizzlies' first-round playoff series with the San Antonio Spurs.

Amid wide-spread commentary geared toward Manu Ginobili's expected return from an elbow injury is a point guard duel that likely will play a large role in deciding the series.

Keep reading...

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news...amation-point/

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GEOFF CALKINS: Mayo shows moxie in most difficult season
By Geoff Calkins
Memphis Commercial Appeal

O.J. Mayo is not going to apologize, OK? He's not going to apologize for that 3-pointer he hit at the end of the first quarter the other day.

Yes, it's possible that the clock operator was a tad slow Sunday, that he didn't get the clock started soon enough, and that if he hadn't dithered for a full second Mayo's shot would have been too late.

But if anyone in the game deserved a break, it's Mayo. He probably deserves a dozen more tonight.

"It's unbelievable what he's been through," said Mike Conley.

Keep reading...

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news...ficult-season/

[Obstructed_View]

Didnt realize they had alternates for Refs

Only for the playoffs, if memory serves.

[FromWayDowntown]

Only for the playoffs, if memory serves.

Correct. Until yesterday, they didn't make the alternate's iden y known (except to those in the arena who happened to notice the 4th official on the floor, pre-game, and knew who that 4th official was).

With Gary Zielinski in the offing if one of the other 3 goes down, I'm generally hoping for good health tonight for Scott Foster, Ron Garretson, and Leon Wood.

[z0sa]

For whatever it's worth, some data:

PLAYOFF GAMES (since 1990), Spurs with:

Scott Foster
6-4 overall; 2-2 at home; 4-3 in First Round games

Ron Garretson
19-11 overall; 13-6 at home; 1-3 in First Round games

Leon Wood
2-0 overall; 1-0 at home; 2-0 in First Round games

Thanks. I always look forward to your referee analysis and records. I can't seem to find them anywhere else.