Someone Convince Me The Grizzlies Shouldn't Be The Overwhelming Favorite in the WCF

[callo1]

Must go up tempo. Can't allow Memphis to get their defense set, or it will be very tough to score. Put Danny on Conely and hide TP on Allen...I don't see them going through Allen on offense.

Tiago is the best low post "stonewall" post defender on the team when he shows up...he needs to show up.

I would deactivate Mills and activate Baynes for more size and muscle against Randolph/Gasol.

Trust Tmac for 4-5 minutes a game to cover an aging Prince...he can do that.

Must hit threes early in the games to soften up the Grizz defense...if they don't respect the shooters, Tony is gonna have a of a time getting to the basket, and Timmy is going to get beat up.

Must have Spurs bigs leak out and beat a lumbering Gasol down the floor to get easy buckets.

Use some zone here and there...not too much, but just enough to confuse them a bit...maybe at the beginning/end of quarters.

Have Cojo continue to play exceptional defense...he can disrupt Conely.

Most importantly, DO NOT put Bonner on a single Grizz big man. I do think Blair can have very brief stints of success if used correctly.

[Sean Cagney]

Must go up tempo. Can't allow Memphis to get their defense set, or it will be very tough to score. Put Danny on Conely and hide TP on Allen...I don't see them going through Allen on offense.

Tiago is the best low post "stonewall" post defender on the team when he shows up...he needs to show up.

I would deactivate Mills and activate Baynes for more size and muscle against Randolph/Gasol.

Trust Tmac for 4-5 minutes a game to cover an aging Prince...he can do that.

Must hit threes early in the games to soften up the Grizz defense...if they don't respect the shooters, Tony is gonna have a of a time getting to the basket, and Timmy is going to get beat up.

Must have Spurs bigs leak out and beat a lumbering Gasol down the floor to get easy buckets.

Use some zone here and there...not too much, but just enough to confuse them a bit...maybe at the beginning/end of quarters.

Have Cojo continue to play exceptional defense...he can disrupt Conely.

Most importantly, DO NOT put Bonner on a single Grizz big man. I do think Blair can have very brief stints of success if used correctly.

IF POP USES BONNER ALOT WE ARE ED, believe that. He will be garbage in this series against those bigs! They are not soft minded like Howard is.

[intlspurshk]

It comes down to how spurs bench against Memphis bench. If guys like D Arthur or Bayless get hot against spurs then no Memphis in 6.

Spurs do have lot of wounds recently and they seriously need 1 more go-to player. TP is not too reliable and Manu is somewhat a good but not great player

[z0sa]

IF POP USES BONNER ALOT WE ARE ED, believe that. He will be garbage in this series against those bigs! They are not soft minded like Howard is.

Expect Bonner some early on in the series. He did well vs LA and Pop will remember that unlike some here. I agree he should have a short leash.

[Johnny RIngo]

When the Spurs lose to the Grizzlies, the popular reason will be "Parker was injured". Whatever excuse to make themselves feel better about Parker being a choke artist. Ginobili looks awful right now so you can't rely on him anymore to carry TP and the Spurs backcourt when things get rough. TD will be solid but age catches up with everyone and I don't think he has enough gas to make one more run at a championship.

Anyway, Grizzlies to make the Finals where they will get curbstomped by the Heat. Miami will have the better offense, comparable defense, the two best players on the court, and the superior role players. These same things apply if Miami were to play SA in the Finals but that won't be happening.

[GaryJohnston]

The Grizzlies are a scary team to face. They are completely different than Golden state, who score from the perimeter first. The Gizz like to go inside. If Splitter can step up and Tim can be Tim one more time, I say we force them to beat us from the outside. It'll be a very interesting matchup. Lower scoring than the Golden State series.

Believe.

[Technique]

Spurs giving a big F U to this thread

[Calispursfan11]

Timvp tbh. Hope he's giving the Spurs at least "a chance" in the series now.

[Calispursfan11]

Lol, Tmac getting some burn with almost 6 mins left. Awesome. Smh Timvp...

[ddjeffries]

Answer: Game 1.

[hater]

timvp

tmac

both scrubs

[milkyway21]

6 reasons for now:

1. HOMECOURT ADVANTAGE - San Antonio has won 16 of 17 home games against Memphis.

2. SAN ANTONIO LOST TO MEMPHIS 2X this season by just 2 & 3 pts and won 2x, (one by 21 pts.well, that was after the $250K fine)
3. The Spurs is ONE of the few teams to score 100 against them.
4. Memphis has no 3-pt scoring threat.
5. This is a different Spurs team than they last met. This one has so many players who can score from the wings. But if they are afraid to shoot from there then it's another story ex Bonner.

6. While Memphis is better in defense, San Antonio is better in scoring. They can win this series from there. No need to grind inside against those guys if our shots from the wings are falling.

Spurs in 6..

Bonner was alive !

14-29 3s -48 % :

[DesignatedT]

I am not one of those declaring this series over and I think the grizz will most def end up being a very tough out but I still don't understand how one could say that last years Spurs team would sweep the Grizz last playoff but these Spurs have no chance this season with an immensely improved defense against this Grizz team.

[milkyway21]

they were better in 2Q & 3Q what if Z scored 15 & Gasol 15 too?

1-0 but well, I don't think we can sweep these guys ..

[capek]

Where us optimists failed, hopefully today the Spurs succeeded.

[Knoxxx]

I apologize in advance but my first reaction when thinking about the Spurs vs. Grizzlies is Memphis should be considered a heavy favorite. Right now, I'm thinking the Grizzlies in 5 or 6 is a pretty damn safe bet. I hate to be this pessimistic but I just don't see how the Spurs are going to win this series. Maybe someone can convince me otherwise but ...

1. Duncan isn't playing that well. He had trouble with Bogut and Marc Gasol is just a better version than Bogut. TD has had a great season but it's asking a ton for him to shine against the DPOY.

2. Parker is hurting. He had trouble scoring against a Warriors team with iffy defensive guards and limited bigs. What's going to happen against Conley -- arguably the best Parker defender in the league -- and a team with legit bigmen and other players with agile length? On paper, this looks like it'll be a disastrous series for TP unless he miraculously returns to health.

3. Ginobili is no longer in the stage of his career where he can carry a team. And besides, going up against Tony Allen would be a tall task no matter his age.

4. Splitter played a bit better today but he's still playing without physicality. He has trouble grabbing contested boards. He still has issues finishing in crowds. Those three faults play perfectly into the Grizzlies hands.

5. Leonard and Green just came off of a GREAT defensive series -- but Memphis does their damage on the inside. There really won't be anyone for those two to shut down. Thus, it'll be much more difficult to impact the series.

6. Diaw, Bonner and Blair are all poor matchups against a physical frontline.

7. Neal's ballhandling and decision-making against that pressure defense? Yikes.

8. Does Joseph have the experience to play in what is going to be a glorified back alley dogfight?

9. The Grizzlies are at the very least as good defensively as the Spurs. Most likely, they're better. San Antonio was superior offensively for the majority of this season -- but they've fallen off a cliff in the last couple months. That ball-movement that made this team special is mostly gone. They don't have much in terms of individual creators. The Grizzlies offense isn't awesome but their scoring, on paper at least, will be more reliable since it'll come on the inside. Add in the points they'll create by forcing turnovers and hitting the offensive glass -- and I can't make a strong case for the Spurs having a better offense or defense right now.

10. We still really don't know how good the Spurs are at the moment. Should we take anything from sweeping the Lakers? Probably not. Is struggling with a Warriors team that was mediocre in the regular season a bad sign? Yeah, probably. Add in the poor way the Spurs ended the regular season -- and this team is still riddled with question marks. The Grizzlies, on the other hand, know exactly what they are and what they aren't.




I hope beyond hope that I'm dead wrong. I really, really, really want the Spurs to win this series. (In fact, just making it to the Finals would make my year; I wouldn't even care if the Spurs lost to the Heat -- I just want this team to make the Finals one last time.)

Hopefully there are a few pieces to the puzzle that I'm missing. Maybe one of you can give me some hope. Maybe when I crunch the numbers, I'll see it differently.

I want to believe -- but as I'm sitting here right now, I just can't do it by any logical means. I'm sorry.

Stop posting, tbh

[Spurs and Mavs fan]

How about the fact that the Grizzlies need to win 4 out of the next 5 games?

[SpursWoman]

Stop posting, tbh

I just choked on some granola ... that is too awesome not to quote.

[SA210]

Stop posting, tbh

[T Park]

I just choked on some granola ... that is too awesome not to quote.

Sup stranger...

[Rummpd]

I am not one of those declaring this series over and I think the grizz will most def end up being a very tough out but I still don't understand how one could say that last years Spurs team would sweep the Grizz last playoff but these Spurs have no chance this season with an immensely improved defense against this Grizz team.

How many would take 10 or 20 to one odds on the above - Grizz defense very good but Spurs have beat far better superstar driven teams 2 straight on road many times before?

[hater]

Stop posting, tbh

[superjames1992]

Fantastic jinx thread, tbh. Good job, timvp.

[Uriel]

The Heat / Pacers are overwhelming favorites against the Spurs in the NBA Finals, tbh.

[pikkiwoki]

CIA timvp