Final
Grizzlies aim to keep momentum going in San Antonio
Apr 20, 2011 - 3:14 PM (Sports Network) - The upstart Memphis Grizzlies aim to build on the first playoff win in franchise history when they hit the hardwood against the top- seeded San Antonio Spurs in the Alamo City Wednesday for Game 2 of the Western Conference quarterfinals.Zach Randolph led all scorers with 25 points and added 14 rebounds on Sunday in Game 1, as the Grizzlies earned their first-ever postseason triumph with a 101-98 decision over the Spurs.
Marc Gasol netted 24 points and Mike Conley chipped in 15 points and 10 assists for Memphis, which is making its first postseason appearance since the 2005-06 campaign.
"It was a fight," Randolph said. "We had to scratch and claw, just a battle. It was playoff basketball."
O.J. Mayo ended with 13 points off the bench before fouling out for Memphis, which shot 55.2 percent from the field and 6-of-10 from three-point range. Defensive stalwart Tony Allen strained his right calf in the first half but came back and hit 2-of-5 shots and had three assists in the second half.
"We had good spacing and we moved the basketball," Memphis' Shane Battier, whose three-pointer with 23.9 seconds to the Grizz in the lead, said. "I was just hanging out on the perimeter, and Mike (Conley) did a great job of penetrating and swinging the basketball.
"This is awesome. I'm real happy for the city. Beale Street will really be pumping. Most of the guys don't know or understand the history and the heartache the city has gone through."
The Memphis franchise had been 0-12 in the postseason before the win.
Tony Parker went for a team-high 20 points but shot just 4-of-16 from the floor, and Tim Duncan finished with 16 points and 13 boards for the Spurs, who finished as the top seed in the West after going 61-21 in the regular season.
"We didn't do enough down the stretch, and the game was right there," Duncan said. All in all, our game plan went the way we wanted to. We just didn't finish."
George Hill went for 15 points and seven rebounds for the Spurs, who shot 40 percent from the floor and beyond the arc.
"Shots didn't go down for him like he wanted probably, but his effort on both ends of the court were great," Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich said about Hill's play. "He's somebody that's real important to what we do and he'll be ready to go again on Wednesday."
Spurs swingman Manu Ginobili missed the contest due to a right elbow sprain and will be a game-time decision tonight. Memphis coach Lionel Hollins expects the Argentine star to play, however.
"He lets Tony Parker be in the corner on the wing, and he handles the ball on the pick and roll," Hollins said of Ginobili. "They just miss one of their primary playmakers [when he's out]."
San Antonio has now lost their last six playoff Game 1s.
The teams split four games in the regular season and the Spurs swept the Grizz in four games during the 2004 playoffs.
After tonight's contest the series shifts to Memphis for the next two contests, starting with Saturday's Game 3.
- MEMPHIS: 87
SAN ANTONIO: 93
Final
Apr 20 11:12 PM - MEMPHIS: 65
SAN ANTONIO: 66
End of 3rd
Apr 20 10:29 PM - MEMPHIS: 44
SAN ANTONIO: 41
Halftime
Apr 20 9:45 PM - MEMPHIS: 17
SAN ANTONIO: 17
End of 1st
Apr 20 9:07 PM - MEMPHIS: 0
SAN ANTONIO: 0
1st Quarter - 12:00
Apr 20 8:42 PM
Related News
- The Chet Holmgren and Victor Wembanyama Rivalry Has Started Early Dec 28
- Pat Frost retirement recognized at Spurs game Dec 26
- Merry Christmas greetings from Wemby Claus Dec 25
- Game Thread: NBA Christmas Day basketball marathon Dec 25
- Open Thread: Charlotte Hornets have never played on Christmas Day Dec 25
- Jeremy Sochan reminds us of his star potential against the Mavericks Dec 24
- Open Thread: ‘Spurs the Night Before Christmas Dec 24
- Another massive meltdown dooms Wemby-less Spurs in blowout loss to Mavs Dec 23
- San Antonio at Dallas, Final Score: Spurs can’t stop Doncic, lose 144-119 to Mavericks Dec 23
- Game Thread: San Antonio Spurs at Dallas Mavericks Dec 23
- Open Thread: Christmas gift suggestions for the Spurs family Dec 23
- Game Preview: San Antonio Spurs at Dallas Mavericks Dec 23