Final - OT
Grizzlies try to even series with Spurs
May 21, 2013 - 3:59 PM (Sports Network) - The San Antonio Spurs will try to take a commanding 2-0 lead over the Memphis Grizzlies in the Western Conference finals Tuesday night at the AT&T Center.The Spurs dominated Game 1 on Sunday with a 105-83 victory. Five San Antonio players scored in double figures and the venerable Tracy McGrady was the only Spur who didn't score a point.
"Our ball movement was great tonight," said Spurs guard Tony Parker. "We shot the ball very well, it's just one game and we'll try and do the same thing in Game 2. I'm sure they're going to make some adjustments."
To say the Spurs shot the ball "very well" is an understatement.
San Antonio shot 52.6 percent from the field and 48 percent from long range. The Spurs established a new franchise record with 14 made 3-pointers on Sunday afternoon.
"The ball happened to go into the basket," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said at practice on Monday. "Some nights you make two, some nights you make 14. There's never really a reason. We didn't run anything magical to get the shots. They just went in last night."
Parker led the Spurs with 20 points and nine assists and Kawhi Leonard was next with 18 points. He connected on 4-for-5 shooting from beyond the arc. Danny Green made a trio of 3-pointers for 16 points and Matt Bonner sank four from deep for 12. Gary Neal also scored double figures with 11 off the bench.
The big men for San Antonio didn't do much offensively in Game 1. Tim Duncan managed only six points, but pulled down 10 rebounds, and Tiago Splitter netted one point.
What they lacked on the offensive end, they more than made up for at the defensive side.
Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol, this season's Defensive Player of the Year, combined for 17 points on 8-for-24 shooting. Gasol was fine with 15 points and seven rebounds. It was Randolph who struggled to two points on 1-for-8 shooting.
"I'm hard on myself. I really couldn't sleep last night," Randolph said Monday. "I don't like losing. It was definitely frustrating."
Quincy Pondexter led the Grizz in scoring with 17 points, followed by Gasol and Mike Conley's 14.
Defense was the Grizzlies' calling card all season. They led the NBA in opponents' scoring and Sunday's debacle was only the third time this postseason Memphis allowed 100 points or more.
But the Grizzlies certainly aren't out of it despite the experience difference. The Spurs are in the Western finals for the eighth time in 15 years and Memphis is making its first trip this far.
The Grizzlies dropped the first game in each of the last two series, but overcame both deficits and beat the Los Angeles Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder.
Game 3 is slated for Saturday night in Memphis.
- MEMPHIS: 89
SAN ANTONIO: 93
Final - OT
May 22 12:08 AM - MEMPHIS: 85
SAN ANTONIO: 85
End of Regulation
May 21 11:50 PM - 239
roots - MEMPHIS: 64
SAN ANTONIO: 76
End of 3rd
May 21 11:07 PM - MEMPHIS: 31
SAN ANTONIO: 46
Halftime
May 21 10:17 PM - MEMPHIS: 13
SAN ANTONIO: 15
End of 1st
May 21 9:39 PM - MEMPHIS: 0
SAN ANTONIO: 0
1st Quarter - 11:55
May 21 9:11 PM
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