To be honest with you, I was seething down the stretch of Game 5. With the Spurs down by three points and nine seconds remaining, I couldn't believe Pop had Antonio McDyess inbounding the ball. McDyess happens to be the worst passer on the team and statistically the most turnover-prone. I literally said, "Damn it, he's gonna throw it away." And a couple seconds later, McDyess throws a bad pass that is nearly stolen. He manages to get the ball back … only to throw it away again.
When Manu Ginobili scooped up the second McDyess misfire, I had hope once again. But as he launched the jumper, I saw referee Bob Delaney signal that it was a two-pointer, so I thought the game was over. No way Manu makes that shot. Falling backwards, over Marc Gasol, with no angle to see the rim? Only Manu.
Two Zach Randolph free throws later and the Spurs have another chance to tie with a three-pointer. Oh good, McDyess isn't inbounding the ball. But, wait, what in the what? Pop has Manu inbounding the ball? There's no time for a second pass! How can Pop not draw up a play for the team's hottest shooter who just so happens to be one of the best big moment players the game of basketball has ever known? I was shocked.
When Gary Neal caught the ball, I thought: "Well damn, after Neal misses this shot his confidence is going to be crushed. He's going to spend all summer replaying this shot in his mind. Pop and the rest of the team will probably lose belief in him. And after an unavoidable slow start to next season, Neal will probably go the way of Roger Mason, Jr. …"
Splash.
Wow. I don't think Neal has gotten enough credit for that shot. For a moment in time as the ball was in the air, the buzzer had sounded. The season was over. The Spurs didn't just lose to an eighth seed, they got manhandled by an eighth seed in five games. I wouldn't live to ever see a top seed fall quicker in the NBA playoffs.
Not only is Neal a rookie with virtually no history of taking game-deciding shots on a big stage, he had played a total of two minutes and 15 seconds since the end of the first half. After not making the proper defensive switch and exacerbating the situation by fouling as Gasol made a layup, Pop unceremoniously benched Neal. Even as the Spurs desperately searched for someone to provide offense in the third quarter, the first year guard out Towson was nailed to the bench.
But when Neal's number was called, he calmly delivered. Like it was absolutely no big deal. (I really do need to stop doubting Gary Neal. Apologies.)
Anyways, I'm hoping the Game 5 magic has the Spurs believing once again. It's been a couple of months since the team played with that winning edge that allowed for 61 wins. For much of the season, the Spurs seemed to relish opportunities to make a sometimes spectacular but always tough-minded run to capture victory and vanquish yet another unsuspecting victim. It became routine. But, especially since Tim Duncan's ankle injury, the Spurs had transformed from unyielding finishers to a team that turned into Larry, Curly and Moe plus two down the stretch.
Heading into Game 6, the Spurs need as much going right as possible. The unfortunate truth is that if both teams play well, the Grizzlies will probably win the game. Being at home is part of it. However, the biggest reason why the Spurs are at a disadvantage is the fact that Memphis has six players who are having a good amount of success posting up on the low block (Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol, Darrell Arthur, Shane Battier, Sam Young and Tony Allen). The Spurs, on the other hand, counter with Tim Duncan as their sole post up threat -- and he's had hardly any success posting up against this big and athletic Grizzlies squad.
As a result of the disparity in the post, the Grizzlies can get better shots at a much more consistent rate, while the Spurs have to scratch and claw for just about every bucket. Over the course of 48 minutes, it becomes a rather large chasm the Spurs have to overcome. To win Game 6, the Spurs need something out of the ordinary to happen. Whether it's a sizable free throw discrepancy, a barrage of three-pointers, Zach Randolph getting in foul trouble, a gaggle of offensive rebounds or a cold shooting night by Memphis, the Spurs need something. Status quo won't cut it.
Individually, the Spurs can't afford any collapses. Each of the nine players in the rotation need to produce, especially since the Grizzlies role players are sure to play much better in front of their raucous home crowd.
In Game 5, Tim Duncan came out of the gates with both guns blazing. He scored 11 points in the first quarter and appeared to be primed for a classic outing. That, however, didn't happen. He scored on an offensive rebound in the second quarter … and then never scored another point the rest of the way. In the third quarter, he got roundly outplayed by Gasol. In the fourth quarter and overtime, Duncan was invisible on the offensive end. To his credit, he played solid defense most of the time and pulled down important rebounds, but Duncan obviously needs to do more in Game 6.
I like the idea of Duncan being extremely aggressive on the offensive end -- especially if the Grizzlies seem tight due to the pressure. If he can get their bigs in foul trouble, that could be a game-changer. On the other end, Duncan's work on the defensive board will continue to be vital.
Manu Ginobili had a classic performance in Game 5. Sometimes (mostly in the fourth quarter) he made vexing decisions (like looping cross-court passes in the guts of the game or shooting a step-back three-pointer when it was 5 on 4) but came up with momentous plays at the end (most notably the no-look shot). The best news is that his elbow appeared to be less bothersome than any of the previous three games.
In Game 6, Ginobili needs to keep playing like Manu Ginobili. All out, every minute. Defensively, he has to step up a bit. Late in Game 5, the Grizzlies went right at him and had a lot of success. The Spurs can't afford for him to be a liability on that end.
It was odd that it took overtime for Tony Parker to come to life. If Neal's shot rims out, we would have spent most of the summer wondering what happened to Parker in the playoffs. It was like something finally snapped and he remembered who he was. In that extra session, Parker knocked down three huge jumpers and continuously broke down the Grizzlies D.
Playmaking-wise, Parker was also a lot better throughout Game 5. He went from having one assist and seven turnovers in Game 4 to posting nine assists and one turnover. And if it wasn't for his teammates missing a ton of open shots, especially in the third quarter, Parker's assist total would have been even more impressive. In Game 6, if he can continue to create shots and play with the confidence he had in overtime, the Spurs will have a fighting chance.
In all the hoopla, George Hill's contributions have been forgotten. But if it wasn't for his strong play late in the third and early in the fourth quarter as the Grizzlies seemed to be about to pull away, there would be fishing poles in hands right now. Hill scored eight straight points as he played by far his most aggressive basketball of the series. Hill's late acrobatic layup also shouldn't be overlooked. His defense, which was horrible in Game 4, was much better. Tonight, more assertive play out of Hill would be a godsend.
With regards to Richard Jefferson, it may come down to hoping he doesn't suck. That couldn't be said for his Game 5 performance. Outside of a three-pointer and a lucky three-point play, Jefferson was atrocious. His defense effort was poor -- both mentally and physically. He couldn't contribute offensively. Basically, it was a disaster. Let's hope against hope for better.
I liked the fight we saw out of Antonio McDyess in Game 5. On both ends, he was giving it his all. The production didn't always match the effort but his will to win was infectious. If McDyess can slow down Randolph at all in Game 6, he could be the hero.
Like always, Matt Bonner got his 20 minutes. We can expect another 20 minutes in Game 6 … even though I have no idea why Pop keeps the faith. It's painfully obvious Bonner isn't a player who thrives in pressure. Add in the fact that Bonner is 0-for-8 on three-pointers in his last four postseason games played on the road and I can't say I'd be upset with a DNP-CD.
Tiago Splitter played about as well as one could imagine given the cir stances. His pick-and-roll play with Ginobili was very good. He rebounded. He played tough defense. He finished at the rim. He protected the rim. And perhaps most importantly, he showed a lot of improvement from Game 4. For example, in Game 4 he clogged the lane by standing under the basket while teammates were running pick-and-rolls. In Game 5, he kept his man occupied on the weakside and only flashed to the paint when he was open.
Splitter will get minutes in Game 6 when Duncan rests. However, I'd be all for him getting a lot more minutes. He's showing an ability to learn on the fly. He's a natural fit for this sort of playoff intensity. Right now, he's playing his best basketball of the season. The bottomline is that Splitter competes and the Spurs need as many compe ors as possible against the Grizzlies.
Speaking of compe ors, Gary Neal needs an expanded role. I see no harm in Neal taking some of Jefferson's minutes. If Hill is passive, Neal should be called upon. At the very least, Pop should see if Neal can build upon his Game 5 heroics. A big night by Neal could be just that something the Spurs need to send this thing to a Game 7.
1.
Believe.
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