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NBA Playoffs: WCF Game 1 Recap: Grizzlies take Game 1 on the chin

2013-05-19T22:17:12Z

The San Antonio Spurs led from start to finish in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. It was a ten-point lead before Lionel Hollins could stop the bleeding. The final score was 105-83.

San Antonio was moving the ball and getting the calls. They were draining open three-pointers all night, making the Grizzly defense look bad inside and out. Defensively, the Spurs took Memphis out of everything on offense. Their fronting defense in the post and weakside help was particularly impressive.

Zach Randolph was a non-factor on this day, scoring just 2 points. His 7 rebounds looked pretty good by comparison. Mike Conley, too, wasn't his usual self. He was too passive against Tony Parker, driving half-heartedly and looking to dish to guys who weren't even open. Conley had 14 & 8...Parker 20 & 9.

The Spurs also got 18 from Kawhi Leonard and 16 from Danny Green, both guys who scored big to close out the Warriors last week.

The Grizzlies were led by Quincy Pondexter's 17, which isn't a good sign for Grizzlies fans. Marc Gasol had 15, many of which came from long jumpers at the top of the key.

Memphis did cut the lead to 6 late in the 3rd quarter, behind 8 straight points from Pondexter and a bucket from Jerryd Bayless. Hollins went to his bench early in the quarter and it paid off. But it wasn't enough, as the Spurs quickly responded with a Ginobili-Bonner barrage of shots to get the lead back into double digits.

During the 4th quarter, twelve minutes of numbing garbage time, Hollins challenged his team: "This is an opportunity for you and anyone else to show me you deserve to play the rest of this series." I didn't see much response from anyone, so I guess the rotation will stay the same.

Gregg Popovich, meanwhile, keyed on not giving up offensive boards or turning the ball over against Memphis. It worked for his group on Sunday.

Game 2 is Tuesday. History says Lionel Hollins won't change much as far as X's & O's go.

I say Tony Allen needs to guard Tony Parker. That'll save Conley some energy, which he'll need to lead this group to a split on the road.

NBA Playoffs: Conference Finals Game 1 Final Score: Spurs 105, Grizzlies 83

2013-05-19T22:04:10Z

Loss haiku time? (Hang on, I'm trying to stop throwing up.)

Z-Bo went missing
Davis, Leuer, Daye, Wroten:
Impending blowout.

Yeah, loss haiku time. The Grizzlies have now played in three playoff series this season and they've lost all three Game 1's by a combined 45 points. If you're bad at math, that's an average of 15 points. That means they've come out and been flat-out terrible in all three Game 1's.

So today wasn't all that surprising. The Grizzlies have used Game 1 to "feel out" what was going on and try to adjust to it. That's great and all, but the Spurs aren't a team that you want to give a 1-0 advantage in any series, much less the Western Conference Finals. The Grizzlies remain 4 wins away from the Finals, and they let the Spurs get to 3 wins away.

Final - 5.19.2013	1	2	3	4	Total
Memphis Grizzlies	14	23	20	26	83
San Antonio Spurs	31	20	22	32	105

Complete Coverage >

Let's see those loss haikus now. Unfortunately, that's pat of this business, I'm afraid. We'll have a full recap up later.

Pounding The Rock has the Spurs side of the story.

Grind Prophecies: Writing New History

2013-05-19T15:26:12Z

I woke up this morning to two flashback memories that gave me the mixed emotion feeling I have right now. The first was the glorious block-to-dunk sequence by Darrell Arthur in Game 4 two years ago. I remember it so vividly and what a joyous occasion. The second memory was Manu Ginobili's corner jumper in Game 5 to give the Spurs hope on the cusp of elimination. So horrid. The in-bounds. The scuffle. Then the drop.

You may be thinking, "wow, one great memory and one bad memory...what a well-balanced sequence of flashbacks." You would be wrong, well partly. Yes that Ginobili bucket was awful, but as I reflect on the block-to-dunk by DA, I think about how much has changed in this match-up over just two years just from that play. For instance: Parker is strangely better, O.J. Mayo is not on our bench, Tiago Splitter's body was taken over by an alien that happened to be much better at basketball and, saddest of all, I am not sure DA could replicate that play.

I don't want to be Debbie Downer, I simply want to state, these are not the same two teams. Several players and match-ups are the same, yet when I think of the situation of the two recent playoff series between the Spurs and Grizzlies, I see two completely different scenarios. 2011 was filled with unhealthiness for the Spurs and underestimation for the Grizzlies. Coming into the current series the Spurs are making one last strong push toward a championship and the Grizzlies are solidifying their presence as a consistent contender. Tonight is the beginning of a new series and nothing in the past matters. No underestimation. No expectations. Now is the time to make new history.

Grind Prophecies continues through the playoffs. Scores have not been updated in a while (sorry) but the prize is still the same, a Marc Gasol jersey, compliments of Grizzly Bear Blues. Good luck and GO GRIZZ!

Game Score and Winner (correct predictions receive 3 points, if no correct predictions, 1 point awarded to member(s) with closest differential)
The Grindmaster (3 points awarded to correct predictions; if Grindmaster title is split between 2 players, 2 points go to each member who predicted either player)
+/- for Darrell Arthur (3 points awarded to correct predictions; if no correct answers, 1 point awarded to member(s)who are closest without going over)
User's Pick

Grind Prophecies Playoffs 2013 Official Rules

Grind Prophecies Playoffs Leader Board

WCF Preview: Spurs-Grizzlies, then and now

2013-05-18T20:11:59Z

The 2013 Western Conference Finals are a rematch of one of the rarest occurrences in playoff history, an 8 seed beating a 1 seed.

Both coaches remember it like it was yesterday. It was the first round of the 2011 Playoffs when Memphis made history. It was the moment that this Grizzlies group put itself on the map. They stole Game 1 in San Antonio, then completely destroyed the Spurs on the interior back home, leading to a 4-2 series win.

So, what's different this time around?

Well, obviously, the Grizzlies are much better and more experienced. They no longer have the volume-shooting Rudy Gay at small forward, replaced by the defensive Tayshaun Prince. He's a better fit with this group and has made some huge plays on both ends during this playoff run.

The Spurs also feature an improvement at SF.....Richard Jefferson is gone. Truly, addition by subtraction. Seriously, Gregg Popovich now has the young and athletic Kawhi Leonard. Much like with Memphis, he's also a better defender and fit at the 3-spot. Danny Green is still starting for the Spurs at SG, but he's a much better player than two years ago. His three-point shot, which disappeared vs Memphis in 2011, is much more consistent. However, when San Antonio fell behind against OKC last year, Pop didn't hesitate to bench the young swingman...just some food for thought.

The core of the Spurs remains the same: Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, and Tim Duncan. The Grizzlies, meanwhile, have their own 'Big Three': Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol, and Mike Conley. The point guard out of Ohio State has been a revelation this playoff-run, outplaying Chris Paul in Round 1 and killing the Thunder during 'crunch time' in round 2.

The Parker-Conley matchup is the one to watch here. Mike has been the clutch-killer for Lionel Hollins the past few weeks. Parker, meanwhile, showed in Game 6 at Golden State that he can make clutch three-pointers as well as score in the paint. Get your popcorn ready for these two. I, personally, thing Conley will outplay Parker. He is younger, healthier (see Tony's calf), and more versatile. When Mike attacks the paint he uses both hands effectively. This will drive Duncan and Splitter nuts.

San Antonio's defense is admittedly much better than that of the 2011 upset loss, but so is Memphis's. The difference? The Grizzly offense and overall makeup 1-8 is stronger. Unless Manu Ginobili goes off for 30 a night, I think the Memphis bench (Bayless, Pondexter, Arthur) handles SAS.

Prediction? This series will be won with defense. Tony Allen will guard Parker, while Kawhi Leonard will be forced to check Conley. Eventually, the two point guards will be matched up on each other. Whomever wins that down the stretch will likely win the game. These cross-matches will also create opportunities for the likes of Green and Allen. Danny likes to stay out on the perimeter, while Tony relishes the opportunity to abuse teams on the glass...advantage Grizz. I also see Prince getting a blow early in games so that he can come back in to guard sixth man Manu. Quincy has shown he can handle Ginobili, too. Inside, Gasol will outplay Duncan, while Z-Bo will turn Tiago into a fouling machine.

I see the same outcome as 2011, despite San Antonio's "revenge" factor.

Memphis will win this one in Game 6, giving the Spurs a nauseous case of deja vu.

NBA Playoffs 2013: Nine Lines for Number Nine: A Western Conference Finals Poem.

2013-05-18T15:33:44Z

I saw it live, but I must have watched the YouTube clip of Derek Fisher launching that three, nearly coming down on—inexplicably—someone's shooting shirt, half-a-dozen more times before I felt my blood return to something approximating room temperature. Certainly I'm not alone in this camp: maybe it has to do with my never being comfortable surrendering four easy points to a team with Kevin Durant on the floor, not even with an eleven-point lead on said team, not even with said game having ended days ago.

Leave it to Tony Allen to bring out the worst in me like that.

But I'm over it now (I periodically have to remind myself of this: "I'm over it...") and can feel myself cozying up to the Grindfather again, finding in his shirt-cannon firing trick something absurdly iconic and, when I overanalyze it, perhaps even—dare I say?—prophetic (stick with me). The Grizzlies have already exceeded our hopes and expectations of them, and—yes—we ought to take the Playoffs one series at a time, but we'd be kidding ourselves if a small part of us weren't already thinking ahead… Certainly I'm not alone in this camp either, right?

A poem for the occasion:

Nine Lines for Number Nine

—a terza rima for Tony Allen and the WCF-bound Grizzlies—

We couldn't—then—appreciate the towel,
the shirt that stopped the game, putting the last
guy on the court you'd want to the line, that foul

that might have given them a fighting chance...
But in replays it falls in the easy way
Finals confetti falls, and, that game now passed,

now that we know our good old boy T.A.
didn't blow it: could that shirt suggest—now—
that more confetti's a few good games away?

Michael Gossett tweets in iambic penSLAMeter at: @michaeljgossett

GBB Roundtable Discussion: Western Conference Finals, MVP, etc.

2013-05-17T16:56:04Z

With the Memphis Grizzlies in the Western Conference finals, almost everyone that's a contributor at GBB joined together for a roundtable discussion on a few subjects:

1) What's one word that describes the Grizzlies making the Western Conference Finals?

Tom Lorenzo: GAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Kevin Lipe: Un-freaking-believable.

Trisity Miller: My one word would be "LOL". Simply because it's quite hilarious seeing the world lust over the chance of a Grizzlies-Heat NBA Finals and the fact that people are considering there's a chance they could beat Lebron James and company. I can't wait until I get my Uvo and tell my 18 year old self about this.

Chris Faulkner: previously-unfathomable.

Keith Edwards: Fullfilled.

Everyone believes their teams are good (unless you're a Cubs fan) and in some cases probably better than they actually are. For the last few years, we've all been of the belief that these Grizzlies could beat anyone in the league, and this year, and in these moments, they are finally doing just that.

Rikard Williams: gnarly.

Marcus Privitt: Shell-shocked. (I know that's a hyphenated word - but it still counts) I'm honestly still processing all this.

I can't comprehend the fact that we're one of four teams left in the NBA competing for the trophy. But then again, I can.

Andrew Ford: History. It speaks for itself.

2) Who's been the MVP throughout the playoffs for Memphis?

Lorenzo: It's tough to pick one MVP really, since they have gotten major contributions across the board, but if I had to pick one I think I'd go with Mike Conley. Partly because of the unexpected nature of his play to the "masses," if you will. Every knows about Zach Randolph and his 18 and 8 are expected, and once Marc Gasol made the All-Star team and won the Defensive Player of the Year award he was put on notice. In these playoffs, though, Conley has seemingly been the surprise, and dare I say most important player. I mean, both his defense and offense have been stellar. Even in Game 3 against the Clippers when he shot 1-of-9 from the floor he ended up with 10 assists, three steals, two blocks, zero turnovers and completely shut down Chris Paul when the Grizzlies were desperate for a win. Gasol's been very good and so too has Randolph, but I think Conley has been the team's most important player.

Lipe: I think it's been Mike Conley, but really it could be Conley, Allen, Randolph, or Gasol. It seems like Conley is the Grizzly who has picked up his game the most going into the playoffs, though, and he's established himself on the national stage in a way that he wasn't established before. Without Conley on the floor, nothing runs as smoothly. Whether that's because Bayless is naturally better off the ball and Dooling isn't great, or because Conley is so good, or both, I don't know. But in terms of "most valuable," I think it's Conley.

Miller: I wasn't sure about who, but Game 5 versus OKC showed me that Marc Gasol is the MVP of this team. He was average offensively and wasn't asserting himself and STILL had the best game/most impact. Of course Conley/Z-Bo are right behind him followed by Tony Allen, but if Gasol doesn't show up especially defensively I don't think this team is in the position they are now.

Faulkner: So hard to choose an MVP because without one of Marc, Zach and Mike there's no way this all works. However there's one player that pokes out and it's been on full display for a while now - Mike Conley. If Mike goes down we have Dooling/Wroten/Bayless to run point and that's about all I need to say there. The absence of either Marc or Zach could be balanced by extra effort from either Marc or Zach and we have some options as far as bigs go. Mike is like the mitochondrion of this team (cell) - he provides the energy and movement necessary for the rest of the cell (team) to function and thrive. His manipulation of the floor spacing and rotation has been nothing less of remarkable.

Edwards: I think it has to be Zach Randolph. Mike has taken a huge step forward, and Marc continues to be the best big man in the league, but Zach got it all started. Down 2-0, he lead the Grizzlies to the first victory against the Clippers, and then had a crazy 28 and 14 to close out the Thunder in OKC. The play of Mike and Marc keep us in every game, but ZBo pushes us over the top. Take us home, Big Fella!

Williams: a mutated, hybrid human being of Quincy Pondexter, Tayshaun Prince, and Jarryd Bayless. Is this a cop out of a really hard possibly unanswerable question? Yes, but I truly believe these three gentlemen have given us the edge we need to come this far. For us die-hard Grizzly folks, while it has been pleasing, I don't think it has been all too surprising to see Marc, Mike, Tony, and Z-bo play the way they have been playing. We knew what they were capable of. I cannot help but think though that without the winning plays made by Jarryd, Q, and Tayshaun, we might be watching the WFC's a whole lot less invested.

Privitt: You gotta go with Mike Conley - and no, that's not my Mike Conley bias coming out when I write that. He began his rise to talent with the Rudy trade and hasn't stopped. He's climaxed this season come playoff time and has continually performed above expectations while being the glue to the scrappy Memphis offense.

Ford: One sole person has not been the MVP. Some games it has been Mike, some Gasol, and others Randolph. The Grizzlies have stuck with their motto which is do everything as a collective effort.

3) Is it NBA Finals or bust or is this season already a success?

Lorenzo: If you asked me two months ago I would have said the Western Conference Finals would have been a success. Enough, get there, tip of the cap, whatever happens, happens, etc. But now, I think they are the favorites to get to the NBA Finals, and with that comes the expectation. So, would it be disappointing if they lose in the WCF? Yes. But that's not to say the season wouldn't be deemed a success. They are officially on the national map, which is a great thing for the Grizzlies and their future.

Lipe: The season is already a success. This Grizzlies squad has done something that no Griz team -- in Vancouver or in Memphis -- has ever done in 18 seasons. They've gone farther than any Memphis team has ever gone, and that in itself means the season is a success.

But.

I think there's a feeling that the Grizzlies are the favorite to beat the Spurs and the Warriors, even though the Spurs would have home court. (I will point out that the Griz have had home court one time and they lost that series.) I think there's a feeling that the Grizzlies are the only team in the West that has a good matchup with the Heat at all. There's a lot of truth to that. But I don't think that if the Griz fall short of the Finals, this season has been a failure. When is going farther than any team in franchise history ever a failure?

Miller: It's a success, but I'm not afraid to say I want more. It's gotten to the point where if this team isn't in the NBA Finals come June I'll be disappointed. I want to see them versus the best player in the world and if not Lebron than other best defense in the world. But if the WCF is as far as they go, I'll probably be pretty impressed in hindsight, but now I want them to be in the finals.

Faulkner: This season is already a resounding success to me. We galvanized our identity as a team and franchise. We've set ourselves of for continued success financially. Both of those were basically done with one move - trading Rudy Gay. We hit franchise records all over the place, including a best in wins and winning percentage. We advanced to the Western Conference Finals and have a legitimate shot to go further. Success be done had.

Edwards: I'm going to go with the kind of pie that Radio likes: Bof. Is it a success? Of course. The boys won 56 games in the regular season, the most of any Grizzlies team in franchise history. More road victories than any team in franchise history as well. We've won TWO playoff series so far, which is just phenomenal. It's been a crazy successful season so far.

But there's still so much glory to be had. This is the most friendly path to a title matchup-wise that we could ever possibly hope to have. The Spurs are a great, great team, and the Heat really need no more praise, heck, even the Pacers are phenomenal defensively. But matchup wise, we matchup with all of these teams, and more importantly, it looks like every one of these Grizzlies players believe they are capable of winning not only the West, but a title.

I said middle of the season that I wanted a banner this season, be it a Southwest Division Championship banner, Western Conference Champion, or NBA Champion. If we don't get, even after how far we've come, or maybe especially after how far we've come, I will be disappointed.

Williams: Obviously, this season has been a tremendous success. But when I look at all the things which have fallen into place for this team and see the way they are playing...if we lose to the Spurs I think it might haunt this franchise for quite some time. I think we defeated the team which was the worse matchup for us in the Clippers, and it just seems like the Boys in Blue control their own destiny now. That can be a good thing if you take care of business, but an exit before the biggest NBA stage will be hard to swallow.

Privitt: Of course it's a success.

But who doesn't want more? The Grizzlies can take the Spurs - before the Spurs had made it official, I felt better about a Grizzlies-Spurs series than a Grizzlies-Warriors series. But as it's probably been said many times up until I write it, this is the furthest the Grizzlies franchise has gone ever. How can that not be a success?

Looking ahead, though, if the Grizzlies are able to beat the Spurs and make it to the Finals (lets say, against Miami), I feel we're the best team out of the Western conference to match-up against them guy for guy. Teams have a hard time preparing for us - this showed in the OKC series. However, I digress.

Ford: I did not expect the Grizzlies to be in the Finals at all, and there is a real possibility that they wouldn't have made it this far with Westbrook healthy. Not saying they wouldn't have still beaten the Thunder, but I would definitely not have picked the Grizzlies. They have exceeded any finish they have ever had in franchise history, so how can this be considered anything but a success? Conley and Gasol have proved to be clutch in big moments, Randolph has proved he still has worth, and going forward the Grizzlies should have a hell of a core for the next four or five years. That's enough to raise your glass to.

NBA Playoffs 2013: NBA teams will try to emulate the Memphis Grizzlies' formula. Easier said than done

2013-05-17T14:33:17Z

Editor's note: Y'all know Chris Faulkner. He's a contributor now. Give him a big "official" GBB welcome.

The Memphis Grizzlies have reached the Western Conference Finals, and the masses have taken notice.

It's not too hard to see why. The Griz are a mix of crazy personalities, unique talents, overachievers, castaways and a general melange of interesting story lines. But this isn't necessarily why all areas of the country, some who normally glance over the Grizzlies, have taken interest in the ascent of the NBA super-sleeper. We're a small market team, and quite recently the laughing stock of the entire NBA. At midseason we traded away our "franchise player" in lieu of some "meat & potatoes" sort of players in what looked like a salary purge to some. We hindered, nay, sabotaged our best shot at a playoff push in franchise history. And in spite of this incredible weight of the underdog, the Grizzlies have found themselves in the midst of the Western Conference Finals by way of a secret, Money Ball formula.

Of course we all know it's a bit more organic than plugging an equation into a basketball machine. More on that in a moment. I'd like to first paint a picture for you. Something to settle the mind and distract us from all the playoff commotion. This is a picture meant to give us a clearer picture of what the Grizzlies have accomplished this season. Imagine this Grizzlies team as a living room - a rustic-Walden meets Ron Swanson-type of cabin. And the Grizzlies front office is attempting to decorate this lodge with five core pieces.

You look up in this room to first notice Marc Gasol - the mighty elk-horn chandelier spread across the angled beams, reflecting light and prestige. Underneath the splay of Gasol is Zach Randolph - the plush bear-skin rug crossing over the narrow planks of the hardwood floor, imposing its brute regality and at the same time massaging your feet with its thick fur. In the corner is Tony Allen - a staunch cast-iron stove - gnawing away at chunks of raw timber with fiery jaws of flame and pressure, filling the room with life. In the center of the room is Mike Conley - a giant stump of an oak tree sawed down to a coffee table, sealed and polished with a dense resin and tying the room together. Then you look across the room, right in the middle of the whole dang thing actually, and you see ...... Rudy Gay - a gold plated, Ottoman Empire styled throne complete with taut red velvet cushions and encrusted with sparkling multicolored gems along sleek, sloping arm rests that seems to draw every photon of light in the room.

In other words, it was a nice piece of furniture but it just didn't fit the room.

In other words, it was a nice piece of furniture but it just didn't fit the room. I describe this picture to you not to ~~further~~ indict Rudy Gay, but to visualize the identity that the Memphis Grizzlies have forged this season - or rather half a season plus half a postseason - by replacing that gaudy throne with a leather armchair of a Tayshaun Prince. The room makes sense now, and it seems to interact more fluidly and compliment the better qualities of each piece.

With complimentary pieces in place, the identity of the team was no longer hamstrung by an attempt to be something it's not. The driving force behind our success hasn't come from the fruition of some mathematical equation. Our success has come from the belief in and total acceptance of our identity as a team and a city.

Our success has come from the belief in and total acceptance of our identity as a team and a city.

However, in a scientific attempt to actually crack the Griz formula I've made this break down:

You'll need an ambidextrous point guard who entered the NBA after attending college for one year and contending for the national title. He'll need to have a very high IQ and a good portion of Olympic-gold-medal-winning DNA spliced in. He's going to need to form a very close relationship with the starting center and grow into an assertive floor general over the course of five seasons. To boot he'll need to run somewhere close to a 4.3 forty yard dash.
You've got to have the NBA's best perimeter defender, and you'll need to sign him to a fraction of what he's worth. This elite defender will need to have NBA Championship experience after working his way up to elite NCAA play through junior college transference. This shooting guard will need to form an intensely personal relationship with the city and coin several trademark phrases that will be used to ignite and perpetuate the fans' passion.
At small forward you'll have to plug in a former NBA Champion halfway through the season. He'll need to be able to post up, move the ball well and have a great understanding of floor spacing. He's going to need to open up the paint with perimeter shooting, be able to guard elite NBA scorers, and he'll need to be able to do this.
For power forward you'll need a 6'9" bull of a man with 2-foot-thick ham-hock shoulders and a center of gravity like Atlas. He'll have to master the full array of low post moves and be able to hit rainbow "jumpers" from all over the floor. Intimidation and blunt force trauma will be part of his repertoire, along with an elite shooter's touch and the smile of a teddy bear. Optional: a nickname that's easy to chant.
The final piece will require the most bizarre combination. Your starting center will need to be seven feet tall, possess elite passing skills, be able to score from anywhere inside the arc and shoot 85% from the charity stripe. He'll be partially driven to exceed his physical limitations by a combination of his older brother's NBA success, his team's nonchalant acquisition of his rights, and an emotional attachment to the fans based on mutual admiration and respect. His uncommon basketball IQ has to be reinforced with years of international championship experience along with Olympic medaling. He'll need to encapsulate the glory of a George Michael beard with the genuine tenderness of a Rockbiter. Oh, and he has to have graduated high school in the city of which he plays.

Obviously, this formula is scoped with a heavy prescription of homer-vision, but there remains an ironic, grounded point.

The Grizzlies formula is based on the original Naismith basketball model - team play. Honestly, there's nothing new to it at all. They haven't created plays or defied physics. They've simply learned to play with each other, and more importantly, learned to understand one another. Some players are best friends, some are totally different than the other, some have close bonds to the city and some are newcomers - all with the same mindset. The secret doesn't seem to be finding players physically capable of doing extraordinary things. It seems the secret is finding extraordinary people to agree to do the ordinary things. They're all quite different - a motley crew that looks like an impromptu hash of interesting morsels from across the world. But they all understand each other. They respect each other and get the job done, much like the city they represent.

The secret doesn't seem to be finding players physically capable of doing extraordinary things. It seems the secret is finding extraordinary people to agree to do the ordinary things.

Imitation being the highest form of flattery, we Grizzlies fans should cherish this time. There will be the haters and the doubters and the skeptics, but for the most part Memphis has the new, shiny toy that everyone else wants. The trick is that it's not a cheaply (or efficiently) manufactured product that was packaged and bought from the boutique. This was a treehouse that you and your grandfather spent five summers building in your backyard; sometimes storms blowing away pieces, leaving you to pick up debris and reconsider how the structure should be rebuilt. It's full of memories and heartaches - it's not something that has a price tag or a blueprint.

That's why we love this team. That's what makes it different.

Harken back to the year two-aught-aught-eight (2008) when the Memphis Tigers were ravaging their way through the NCAA en route to lose the national title game. This city was electric with Tiger fever, and watched in awe as a stud farm of basketball athletes put Memphis basketball on the map again. No doubt that the Tigers (and that team specifically) are very, very dear to the hearts of Memphians, but this Grizzlies team is different. It's different I tell you!

During an NCAA tournament you're essentially playing a series of win-or-go-homes's to the finals. Your team loses and it's all over. But with NBA playoffs you have the chance to lose and regroup. We as fans get to see how our players respond to adversity as they adjust to counteractions taken by professionals that want to win just as much as they do. From my limited experience, it's seems to have the potential to be very intense relationship. We plan our whole weeks around the Grizzlies, we read about them and listen to people talk about them. We feel their heartaches and they feel it when they break ours.

We have something special, guys and gals. We've got something unique to our city that has a chance to really make it's mark on the history of Memphis. High-five the strangers with the TA9 shirt, pump your fists and honk your horns at the car flags, sell a bunch of DVD's to buy a playoff ticket, make this the funnest and most ridiculous thing our city has ever seen. It's our time to pound our chests for a minute and appreciate the hard work of the Griz. I say it's okay to get your hopes up and push this thing as far as we can take it. Regardless of how it plays out, let's know that we dove in head first and savored the experience.

It's Memphis-made, and it's going to be hard to duplicate.

NBA Playoffs: Gentleman's Sweep! Grizzlies Beat Thunder to Advance to Western Conference Finals

2013-05-16T05:25:48Z

The Memphis Grizzlies, Your Memphis Grizzlies, Our Memphis Grizzlies are headed to the Western Conference Finals. Get on your dagum feet!

Oklahoma City put up a tremendous fight in this game, and all series long, but without Westbrook, they were just no match for the Grizzlies defense, and fell tonight in the final game 88-84. Zach Randolph led the Grizzlies with 28 points and 14 rebounds. The big fella couldn't be stopped all night long.

The Thunder came out strong, on offense and defense, getting a quick 3 from Serge Ibaka and a rare make from Kendrick Perkins while keeping Memphis scoreless for almost the first three minutes. Kevin Durant, who was 5-21 in the game for 21 points, scored only one bucket and four total points in the period, but it didn't matter, as the Thunder would lead by five after one.

In the second quarter, the Grizzlies controlled everything. The Grizzlies started the quarter on an 11-1 run, led by Jerryd Bayless and Zach Randolph, and would outscore the Thunder 32-15 in the quarter, and they would lead by 12 at the break.

Memphis continued to dominate in the third. The lead would stretch all the way to 14, capped off by this MONSTER dunk by Tayshaun Prince, who just did disgusting things to three Thunder players.

After the dunk though, pride kicked it. Oklahoma City closed the quarter on a 16-4 run, cutting the lead down to two at 64-62.

Memphis would jump right back out to a big lead in the fourth, however, and had the Thunder on the ropes, leading by 12 with just over three minutes left to go in the game, and the Grizzlies would then take a timeout.[1] With their season on the line, the Thunder would convert four dunks and a Derek Fisher 3 in just under 3 minutes to pull within 5 with just over 20 seconds to go. And then, the foul game started. The Grizzlies, who were 21/23 shooting free throws at that point in the game, would miss three of four down the stretch. Kevin Durant got a clean look at a jumper to tie the game, but tonight just wasn't his night. Tony Allen would secure the rebound and drain two free throws to ice the game, vaulting the Grizzlies to the first Western Conference Finals appearance in franchise history.

Game Notes:

First and foremost, HUGE shout out to the Thunder crowd/fans. Standing and chanting "O-K-C! O-K-C!" after your team just suffered a devastating upset in the playoffs is classy. I was in the forum last year after the Clippers eliminated the Grizzlies, and everyone just quietly got the heck out of there. Not in OKC. Great show of fandom by those guys.
Marc Gasol was 2-10 heading into the fourth quarter, and then made all of his last three shots to help the Grizzlies prevail.
All of Twitter and GrizzNation owes Quincy Pondexter an apology. Q, who was shooting 42% from 3 before his injury, really struggled the first 15-20 games or so after returning. He couldn't find his stroke, and labored all over the court, and people were quick to crucify him for it. He's finally healthy, or atleast much closer to it, and he's playing better than ever. He shot 50% from 3 in this series. And this is after the free throw incident in Game 1. His handle is @QuincyPondexter. Get at him.
Has anyone started a drinking game where you drink every time an announcer or broadcaster mispronounces a Grizzlies player's name? I suppose not, since I haven't read about a lot of people dying from alcohol poisoning. #Connelly

The Grizzlies will get a few days off, as they wait to see who the winner of the Spurs/Warriors series will be. Until then, celebrate this win, Grizzlies fans. This team has put the city on it's back, and the ride has been incredible thus far. There have been ups, downs, lulls, highs, monster dunks, miserable fast breaks, and Austin Daye, but it's been entertaining all the way. Buckle up, baby, because it's about to jump to a whole nother level.

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[1] I specifically point this out, because Ryan was LIVID at this timeout, and rightfully so. The crowd was dead, the players looked defeated, and the clock was ticking fast. The timeout gave the Thunder time to regroup, and nearly cause the game to slip away.