Grizzly Bear Blues: FanPosts

Assessing the Grizzlies-Spurs Series After Two Games

2013-05-22T16:45:25Z

The Spurs hung on to win game two in overtime, despite blowing an 18-point third quarter lead, and because of that, they lead this Western Conference Finals Series 2-0. Tim Duncan scored 6 huge points in the overtime to lead the Spurs in the extra period. Let’s take a look at each team and how they look with the rest of the series looming.

This article is also seen at RogersSecondTake.webs.com

Memphis

Memphis now heads home, a place where they are 5-0 during their postseason run. Despite being absolutely hammered in game one, and thoroughly outplayed for the majority of game two, the Grizzlies have reason to be confident heading home.

Team leader Zach Randolph, who played horribly in game one, and also had a bad first half in game two, looks like he is starting to get going. He finished the game with 15 points and 18 rebounds, with much of the production coming in the second half. Without Randolph playing at the top of his game, the Grizzlies do not have a chance. He has been the constant for Memphis the past few years in the playoffs and this series can be no different. As Memphis heads back home for game three Saturday, Randolph needs to continue his surge we saw late in the game in game two.

Defensive player of the year Marc Gasol is playing well for Memphis, grabbing 14 rebounds last night. When Gasol and Randolph play well together, it is nearly impossible for a team to keep up with them on the boards. Memphis lost last night, and they still outrebounded San Antonio 60-44. That needs to get better for the Spurs or they will struggle to win again in the series. Anytime you get outrebounded by large an amount, you better shoot significantly better than the other team, and yesterday San Antonio did.

The group of players that got Memphis back into the game included a pair of super subs, Quincy Pondexter and Jerryd Bayless. Both gave a lot of minutes to the Grizzlies, and both made big plays down the stretch. Bayless, however, made a poor mistake in overtime. He forced a potentially game-tying three pointer with about 12 seconds left. This was a bad mistake, but all in all, the two of these bench players gave great production for Memphis. That needs to stay consistent if they want to hold serve and win their two home games to even up the series.

San Antonio

For about three quarters last night, the Spurs played as pretty a game as you could play. The ball was constantly moving. Shots were being made, as the Spurs knocked down nine three-pointers. The most amazing part to watch was Tony Parker. Despite shooting poorly, which was hardly noticeable while paying attention to the rest of his game, Parker finished with 18 assists. It was a phenomenal performance, and the key to it was penetration. Parker got into the paint at will. If the defenders came to him, he would dish for a dunk or a three-pointer. If nobody came, he would take the basket himself. That is what set San Antonio apart from Memphis throughout the game. San Antonio got great penetration from their guards, while Memphis did not. San Antonio made 11 field goals in the second quarter, every single one of which came off of an assist. That is a testament to the great ball movement and overall offensive flow by the Spurs. For the game, they finished with 29 assists, while the Grizzlies finished with 19.

Though they blew a significant lead, I don’t think it will mentally affect the Spurs. They are too experienced for it to affect them. In fact, it may make them stronger. After blowing the lead, it would have been very tough for an inexperienced team to come back and win in overtime. But the Spurs didn’t blink, and their leader, Tim Duncan made three huge baskets. It was a testament to the experience of the team, and head coach Gregg Popovich, who did not panic after blowing such a huge lead. The Spurs remain, 14 years year after their initial championship, one of the most balanced teams in the league. All five starters scored at least 11 points. Not one scored more than 17. All five players that came in off the bench scored. When the Spurs play with as much flow as they did last night, and with as much balance, it is a chore, even for the defensive minded Grizzlies, to stop them.

Verdict: The Spurs lead this series 2-0, but it is far from over. Game three is back in Memphis on Saturday, and the Grizzlies rarely lose there. Despite not being able to consolidate the comeback in game two, Memphis has to have some additional confidence after making such a run. If Randolph and Gasol play well together, they are a tough team to beat. The Spurs needs to play with the same offensive flow, which makes for very pretty basketball. It is a very interesting matchup, but one thing is for sure. The Grizzlies must win game three, or the Spurs can begin to pack their bags for the NBA Finals. - Matt Rogers 5-22-13

Memphis

San Antonio

The Western Conference Finals- Continuing the Roundtable Tradition

2013-05-17T14:28:12Z

The past two rounds I ~~blatantly copied~~ borrowed the structure of the 1st round roundtable here on the site to give some thoughts on the upcoming series. I was right on some things (X-Factor Tony Allen, Grizzlies in Six vs. the Clippers) and wrong on some (Ed Davis...) The Beale Street Bears won both series, however, and a couple days before the beginning of the biggest couple weeks in Memphis Grizzlies history I thought I would carry on the tradition, this time in FanPost form.

1. In Order For the Grizzlies to Win- They will need Mike Conley to play another elite PG to a near draw. Tony Parker is a bit fatigued/banged up, but he can still crush you with his ability to drive the lane and play off of pick and rolls. Plus, in the final minutes of the closeout game against the Warriors he hit two dagger threes, showing he still has the capability to crush your heart when the game is on the line. Mike did a wonderful job in the last four games of the Clippers series in playing up to and in some cases outplaying CP3, and we will need that Mike Conley to be a consistent member of the WCF wrestling match, as Tony Allen put it on Twitter recently. Mike in the Thunder series had some struggles with his shot at times, but he facilitated the offense, dished out more assists than in the past and was a more complete player through his defensive and rebounding contributions. Parker has had Conley's number in the past, but that was a different Mike Conley; this Mike Conley is a Sports Illustrated cover boy and a legit top 10 PG in the NBA. If we hope to get to the NBA Finals, our floor general will need to lead the way, as usual.

2. The Match-up I am Looking Forward to- Tayshaun Prince vs. Kawhi Leonard. I think this is an underrated pairing in this series but it will be crucial toward the outcome. Leonard has become a more vital piece of the Spurs puzzle as the longest reigning Big Three in the NBA (Duncan, Parker, Ginobili) has aged, and in these playoffs he has really grown in his role. In the playoffs Leonard has been shooting a staggering 56% from the field and while his 3-point shot has fallen off a bit this postseason he is much like our very own Q-Pon in that he can hurt you from the corner in particular. He is also averaging a staggering 8.4 rebounds a game in the postseason. Duncan will play whichever of our bigs he is focused on (likely Gasol, see number 3) to a near draw, so rebounding from other positions is going to be a determining factor in the series. Tayshaun has to continue to be a steadying and guiding force, using his length defensively and on rebounds to keep Leonard off balance while being a consistent passer and a more efficient scorer on the offensive end. A tall task, considering his struggles with his shot, but the better Tay performs, the better off the Grizzlies will be.

3. I would really like to see Marc Gasol officially take the torch from Tim Duncan as the best all-around big in the NBA by soundly defeating him in their head to head battle. Marc has been a revelation in this playoff run, but it hasn't been because his numbers are up across the board; all of his percentages and averages are actually down compared to the regular season. The difference is that he is taking more attempts, hence being more aggressive in increased minutes ofensively and being even more of a force defensively; his blocks per game is the one number that has have gone up and anyone who watches the games can see the impact the Defensive Player of the Year's presence in the paint has (see Kevin Durant's last shot of Game Five.) Someone took the All-First Team NBA Defense snub personally. Gasol has become a national star in this postseason and in this series he can prove he is ready to take on Duncan for his spot atop the all-around mountain top. Timmy won't let it go without a fight, and I expect this to be a classic series between these two.

4. The X Factor- Quincy Pondexter. He is going to be asked to guard multiple types in this series; Leonard, Danny Green, Manu Ginobili, Gary Neal, perhaps even Cory Joseph and Tony Parker for spurts. Different strengths, different weaknesses, multiple opportunities for Quincy to showcase that versatility that he is known for and was worth trading away Grevis Vasquez for. The three ball is a key to the Spurs success, and Quincy's defense on the perimeter will be huge. Offensively, he will need to continue to step up and offset the offensive struggles of Prince. Quincy is shooting 43% from three point land this postseason and will have to offset some of the Spurs fire power from behind the arc, as will Mike and Jerryd Bayless. I think you can make an argument for Zach Randolph as the X-Factor (he has to dominate Splittler/Diaw) and Tony Allen may be on the "All-Time X-Factor" team, but Quincy's all-around game and his ability to defend multiple players makes him the X-Factor in my opinion.

5. Who wins? I am extremely excited about this series. The Spurs are the epitome of small market success; to quote Ric Flair, "To be the man, you gotta beat the man" and the Grizzlies have a chance to complete their remarkable run at redemption by defeating their division rivals and reaching the NBA Finals. The Western Conference will only continue to get tougher, and the aging Spurs will be desperate to get one last crack at a title. This realistically could be the Grizzlies best shot with this core (including Z-Bo and TA) at getting to the Championship, and I am sure the Grizz are approaching it with the sense of urgency that thought process deserves. Getting one of these first two in San Antonio will be key, as another long layoff is on the horizon and that Saturday Game Three after a Tuesday Game Two will result in a toss up game. I feel that much like last season fatigue and injury will be the downfall of the older Spurs, Marc and Zach will control the paint, our defense will rotate on their shooters effectively and the Memphis Grizzlies will win in 6 games, catapulting them into the NBA Finals.

Poll

Who will be the X-Factor in this series?

Game 5 Thread

2013-05-16T02:09:23Z

Obviously, this is a bellwether moment in Memphis Grizzlies history as for the first time in 18 years of existence, the squad has a chance to advance to the Western Conference Finals. Hopefully, I get lots of participation on this post, and it's always nice making contributions on other blogs.

Well, good luck to the Grizzlies and I'm trying to get to the proper word count, in real-time this post finds the Grizzlies leading 16-15 as Mike Conley makes a floater. Dang, it's always so hard having enough words in this post but hopefully this reaches the sufficient level.

I Saw Marc Gasol Play in High School

2013-05-14T13:10:11Z

I've seen some comments on articles and pictures posted about how funny it is to see the Marc Gasol playing at Lausanne Collegiate School compared to Marc Gasol now.

via cdn.bleacherreport.net

I remember seeing him play in High School. I was also in High School, and my girlfriend went to Lausanne (originally called Lausanne School for Girls). The coolest part about that game to me was seeing Pau watching from the upper deck. I was obviously a huge Pau fan, and I remember watching the game and thinking "Marc's not that good. I can't believe there's hype around this private school kid just because he's Pau's brother".

I am VERY glad to admit that I was WRONG WRONG WRONG! He's one of my favorite players to watch, and I don't watch a Grizzlies game now without my Marc Gasol shirt on (unless it's in the washing machine, because hygiene is important).

Thanks for proving the 15-year-old me wrong. I know that he would be as proud as 27 year old me to see you in a Grizzlies uniform.

I've seen some comments on articles and pictures posted about how funny it is to see the Marc Gasol playing at Lausanne Collegiate School compared to Marc Gasol now.

via cdn.bleacherreport.net

Thanks for proving the 15-year-old me wrong. I know that he would be as proud as 27 year old me to see you in a Grizzlies uniform.

Apparently Robert Pera has a sense of humor, and loves Marc Gasol

2013-05-13T01:51:44Z

If you guys haven't seen this series of tweets from our very own Robert Pera, this will remedy that quickly

Worked on this for fun todayWhat do you guys think? More to follow.. #TheMostInterestingBasketballPlayerInTheWorld twitter.com/RobertPera/sta…
— Robert J Pera (@RobertPera) May 12, 2013

One more..#TheMostInterestingBasketballPlayerInTheWorld twitter.com/RobertPera/sta…
— Robert J Pera (@RobertPera) May 12, 2013

another.. twitter.com/RobertPera/sta…
— Robert J Pera (@RobertPera) May 12, 2013

last one.. twitter.com/RobertPera/sta…
— Robert J Pera (@RobertPera) May 12, 2013

Do we have a new moniker for Gasol on our hands?

If you guys haven't seen this series of tweets from our very own Robert Pera, this will remedy that quickly

Worked on this for fun todayWhat do you guys think? More to follow.. #TheMostInterestingBasketballPlayerInTheWorld twitter.com/RobertPera/sta…
— Robert J Pera (@RobertPera) May 12, 2013

One more..#TheMostInterestingBasketballPlayerInTheWorld twitter.com/RobertPera/sta…
— Robert J Pera (@RobertPera) May 12, 2013

another.. twitter.com/RobertPera/sta…
— Robert J Pera (@RobertPera) May 12, 2013

last one.. twitter.com/RobertPera/sta…
— Robert J Pera (@RobertPera) May 12, 2013

Do we have a new moniker for Gasol on our hands?

Counting Our Grizzlies Before They...Hatch?

2013-05-10T01:57:25Z

Given the recent developments in the Western Conference (Russell Westbrook's injury, Steph Curry and the Warriors' collective unconsciousness ~~which can't possibly continue,right?~~, the Spurs' age coming into focus) more and more the national media is hopping on the Grindwagon. As a matter of fact, according to ESPN's NBA forecast, the Grizzlies are now 60% favorites to advance to the NBA Finals as Western Conference Champions. Here's an excerpt from the article by Royce Webb at ESPN.com...

And one major item of intrigue: Memphis is actually the team Miami probably should fear the most. The Grizzlies hold a 3-2 lead over the Heat in the SuperFriends era, and have the size and defense to make things difficult for LeBron & Co.

In addition to "the mothership" Grizzing in their collective pants, two national NBA personalities on ESPN Radio's "Mike and Mike" program this morning also spoke very highly of the Grizzlies. Dan Le Batard, the star of a ~~terrible~~ ESPN television show and sports columnist, stated the following...

Memphis is terrifying. What Chicago did to Miami in Game 1, Memphis can do to you for a series

Newly crowned Coach of the Year George Karl also spoke on "Mike and Mike" of how Memphis could give the Heat fits if they were to meet in the Finals... He basically said that the size and aggression of Memphis would be difficult for the Heat to handle, and with the perimeter defenders of the Grizzlies the Heat would not be able to impose their collective wills consistently on the offensive end. Plus, who in the hell on the Heat could defend Marc Gasol?

Now, I am just as excited about the bandwagon jumping as the next guy. I love the fact that our Grizzlies are stepping up on the national stage after dispensing of the hated Clippers, and there is no denying that it appears the stars are aligning for a real run that could possibly result in a victory parade downtown ending on Beale Street. I'm hungover just thinking about it...

HOWEVER, we return to the Grindhouse tied at 1-1 against a still very good Oklahoma City team who has the 2nd best player in the NBA on their roster still. Say we control KD, shut down Martin and advance from this series in 6 games after holding home court, losing in Game 5 in OKC to a more desperate team and close it out at home. I believe the Spurs and Warriors are going 7; we will get a couple extra days to rest and scout. The Warriors are a GREAT match-up for us and I would take us over the Warriors in 5. Our perimeter defenders, length and aggression would throw off the momentum of their hot shooting. Plus, we would have home court in that series, and once again, WHO WOULD DEFEND MARC GASOL? However, if Curry and Thompson can do that to the Popovich Spurs, who is to say it couldn't happen to us? Lee could possibly be back for that series as well and Jarrett Jack and Carl Landry are two very solid bench players who could cause serious issues. I remain confident, but they could pose a threat if they survive the Spurs.

Speaking of the Spurs, they would be the tougher series because of familiarity, Duncan, Ginobli's rejuvenated corpse and Parker, who is always a tough guard for the Grizzlies. Still, a good match-up head to head, and I think we could take that series in 6. However, anytime Popovich is involved a team has a chance. Plus, this could be a similar Celtics last stand situation if the Spurs are able to get passed the Warriors. They see the same opening to the Heat that we do, which may be a part of their struggles with the Warriors. 6 seed who beat a depleted Nuggets team, why would the mighty Spurs worry themselves? It may be a case of overlooking the competition. I think the Spurs will right the ship and win the series in 7, leading to the Grizzlies meeting up with a desperate team looking their mortality in the face and at their last shot at a title on the horizon. That series would be hell.

So, should we be excited? Yes. Hopeful? Absolutely. We are fans after all, and those among us who have been there from the Pyramid-Reeves-Iverson days especially savor this moment I am sure. However, I caution all of Grizz nation, myself included, to not count their Grizzlies before they hatch. The path to the Finals will go through Kevin Durant and friends and eventually either a young and hungry Golden State team who is red hot and more importantly believes in their coach and that they can beat anyone. Or, it could lead us to a desperate end-of-the-line Spurs team that will not ride off into the sunset so easily. Just because a path is laid out in front of the Beale Street Bears does not mean it won't be long and winding. No one is going to give this team anything; it is up to them to seize the opportunity in front of them and take what is theirs. One thing is for certain, the eyes of the basketball world are now firmly set on the Mid-South. It started with redemption against the red headed stepchildren of L.A., it continues Saturday afternoon in Memphis.

And one major item of intrigue: Memphis is actually the team Miami probably should fear the most. The Grizzlies hold a 3-2 lead over the Heat in the SuperFriends era, and have the size and defense to make things difficult for LeBron & Co.

Memphis is terrifying. What Chicago did to Miami in Game 1, Memphis can do to you for a series

Poll

How are you feeling going forward about the Grizzlies' playoff run?

Confident and focused on closing out OKC

20 votes

Looking ahead of the Westbrookless Thunder and having nightmares about Steph Curry

1 votes

Thinking that the Spurs will run out of juice by the time they meet us in the Western Conference Finals

1 votes

Wait, we aren't playing the Heat Saturday?

0 votes

22 votes | Poll has closed

How to Defend the Thunder

2013-05-08T21:42:37Z

With Russell Westbrook's injury the Thunder have entrusted all hopes of advancing in the playoffs to Kevin Durant; he will have to iterally carry them on his back. We can see that fact by this nugget provided by ESPN's Twitter account: "Kevin Durant has averaged 264 dribbles per game since Russell Westbrook's injury. His season average was 134 (per SportVu)." Currently the Thunder have two types of players: Kevin Durant and everyone else.

I cannot think of another team the Grizzlies played this year with such a huge reliance on a single player, so I don't have any examples of defenses schemes the Grizzlies have previously used. But I can think of two simplified defensive strategies; the Grizzlies will need to choose one of the strategies depending on the situation.

~~Stop~~ Limit Kevin Durant
Limit everyone else

The best part of game 2 was Tony Allen shutting off Durant's water in the last 3 minutes. Durant did not score against Allen in the final period, and Allen forced two turnovers in crucial situations. GrizzNation is ready for TA to guard Durant for four quarters in game 3 and give him hell the whole game now that Hollins has learned TA isn't too short to guard him (btw... it wouldn't surprise me if Hollins had said that fully intending to have TA on Durant in the 4th. A motivated TA plays on a level rarely seen in the NBA). However, I doubt we will see TA on Durant for the majority of game 3 even though he may be the Grizzlies' best option for limiting KD.
And here are two reasons why I'm guessing we won't see it...

Foul Trouble

KD gets to the foul line a lot; he attempted the third most free throws in the 2013 season. With the smaller Allen guarding him, Durant will go to the post where drawing a foul is more likely. Also, Tony's aggressive Grit & Grind style can generate fouls quickly. I don't think I need to argue that the Grizzlies are a better team with TA on the court. I would rather have TA guarding a wing and staying on the court than guarding Durant for 38 minutes and possibly being forced to the bench by fouls.

Who is the Defensive Focus

So far against the Grizzlies, the Thunder have been remarkably consistent, scoring 93 points in both games. Durant has scored 35 and 36 points respectively in games 1 and 2. What's the minimum number of points Durant will score? Durant's a potential MVP every year; he will get his points, especially when he trying to make up for an injured Westbrook. I believe despite the grindiest of effort by the Grizzlies, Durant would still get about 20 points. If the Grizzlies held Durant to 20 points the Thunder would theoretically score 78 points. If the Thunder score 78 points, I believe we could chalk that up as a Grizzlies' victory 9/10 times.

However, there is another way to hold the Thunder to 78 points: limit everyone not named Kevin Durant. In games 1 and 2, Kevin Martin and Derek Fischer respectively have played way above their average. Martin had 25 in game 1 which is 11 points above his average. Fisher had 19 in game 2 which is also 11 points above his average. There is no doubt that TA (and other Grizzlies) could shut these two down... not just hold them average but have them finish with 4 points. Limiting the Thunder role players to average is easier than limiting Durant to a poor night.

I believe it makes more sense for the Grizzlies to use their best defensive player (TA) to limit everyone not named Durant, especially the Thunder perimeter players (the Thunder front-court is not scaring any Grizzly fan). Though fans may not like I believe we will see more of Prince guarding Durant (I feel Prince is due for a great defensive game). That doesn't mean we won't get the pleasure of watching TA harrass Durant; in late, close game situations I fully expect TA to be guarding Durant. Even with Durant playing at this level and scoring 35 a game, by focusing on limiting the offensive production of the rest of the Thunder, the Grizzlies will have a strategy that can earn them a win Saturday in the Grindhouse.

Grindforth, GrizzNation!

~~Stop~~ Limit Kevin Durant
Limit everyone else

Foul Trouble

Who is the Defensive Focus

Grindforth, GrizzNation!

Memphis Grabs Momentum in OKC, and New Memphis Nicknames, such as Mike Conley: Mr. Steady Spectacular

2013-05-08T19:23:29Z

My favorite thing about the 2013 playoffs, thus far, is that TEAMS are winning, while individual stars are losing. This is nothing new. Playoff basketball amplifies weaknesses: coaching weaknesses, individual player weaknesses, and team weaknesses. While we should certainly feel some empathy for Kevin Durant (he is an unselfish scorer) and now Brooks is asking him to become Atlas, the world on his lanky shoulders, we should be praising the teamwork and determination of Memphis. Nearly every shot they take is a smart one. Nearly every defensive possession is a crisp one. Memphis simply doesn’t take plays off. And they have the health and depth to push past their opponents. More importantly, Memphis has been playing this way all season. And most of the last three years. They deserve to be rewarded and they are. Hiring John Hollinger is another example of the way they embrace analytics, player evaluation, and resist convention. The fact that they are small market means they can make the Rudy Gay trade (both saving money and further balancing their offense) without the knee-jerk backlash that would come if they were in Los Angeles or Chicago. Memphis is flat out smart and unselfish. The parallels to San Antonio are many. Great defensive center. Great coaching. Small market. Under the radar. Win with defense.

Mike Conley was steady-spectacular again in the second half of Game 2. Never flashy, Conley, simply plays excellent defense, makes great decision in the pick-and-roll, and drains clutch long-range jumpers. After struggling a bit in the early Sunday Game 1, Conley was the key to Memphis’ offensive balance in Game 2. Conley quietly orchestrates Memphis’ perimeter scoring, making great in-traffic passes to baseline cutters (Tony Allen, Tayshaun Prince) and finding the sweet-shooting Quincy Pondexter whenever he has an opening. Conley is flourishing since the Rudy Gay trade and the offense is more concretely inside-out, with Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph providing great picks for him at the top of the key.

Thunder Offense

It’s a testament to Memphis’ defense that they know how to keep everyone but Durant from getting in an offensive groove. Durant’s game 2 (36 pts / 11 reb / 9 ast / 5 turnovers) Scott Brooks has chosen to run everything through Durant at all times Durant is on the court, essentially making him a point forward in the absence of Westbrook. While it’s understandable that Brooks is relying so heavily on Durant (what coach wouldn’t?) Durant’s 4th quarter’s have shown a level of exhaustion that doesn’t bode well for the Thunder. As determined as Durant is, Brooks can’t afford to give him enough rest, and the role players are not doing enough to support him.

Brooks is hesitant to trust Jackson or Martin, and with good reason: Neither can handle Memphis’ defensive pressure. Few can handle it. Even Chris Paul, the league’s steadiest ball-handler and decision-maker, struggled at times after Griffin’s injury. Memphis’ Tony Allen and Mike Conley are two of the best on-the-ball defenders in the game.

What happened when Brooks gave Durant a breather to start the 4th quarter? The five-point lead Durant had spent the third quarter building, slipped away. Two Tony Allen steals (a Kevin Martin pass and a Reggie Jackson dribble) later, Memphis had a 9-2 run and took command, 78-76.

Critical Fragments

27 lead changes in this game: most in a playoff game since 2009
Memphis: 16 offensive rebounds
OKC: 21 turnovers
By getting second chances and forcing turnovers, Memphis took 16 more shots (86-70) than OKC.
Kevin Martin’s 2 of 11
Durant (via shot or pass) has accounted for 62% of Thunder made baskets in Games 1 and 2. Obviously, he needs more help.

Game Scores (thanks to basketball-reference.com)- here's an explanation:

Oklahoma City

Kevin Durant, Captain I-Miss-My-Pal-Russ: 30.8

The M-I-J Trio (Martin-Ibaka-Jackson): 13.2

After combining for 28.7 in Game 1, and barely pulling out the victory thanks to Durant’s heroics and a few untimely Memphis mistakes, the M-I-J Trio were M-I-A, combining for a lowly 13.2 score in Game 2. Add in Fisher’s 14.5, and the quartet’s total is under 28 for the game. Though the game was hard-fought and close, there is no way that Durant can be expected to simply “put this team on his back,” without any help from his teammates.

When I hear Shaq talk about how “Durant” has to step up, it’s obvious Shaq has no idea how to think about performance. Barkley, on the other hand, emphasized how Brooks needs to incorporate Martin and Jackson earlier and more often, in order to attempt to balance the offense, and to save Durant for the fourth quarter.

Kevin Martin, Mr. In-Over-His-Head: 0.4, yes, ZERO-point-four.

Serge Ibaka, Lost-Confidence-Man: 7.4

Reggie Jackson, Mr. Not-Westbrook: 5.4

Derek Fisher, The-Wily-Veteran-Who-Won’t-Retire: 14.5

Fisher dropped in 4 of 5 from distance, and his 14 first-half points were huge to the Thunder’s early lead. Memphis made sure Fisher had no breathing space in the second half.

—

Memphis

In order to analyze the individual performances of Memphis players, the first caveat is that they balance their offense better than any other playoff team, which keeps any of their game scores from being as high as players like Durant and Curry.

Mike Conley‘s Game 2 numbers: 26 pts (11 of 22 from field) / 10 reb / 9 ast / only 2 turnovers; 19 of his 26 points came in second half. Conley’s play was immaculate in the second half. He will be known as Mr. Steady Spectacular for the remainder of these playoffs.

Game Scores, with nicknames:

Mike Conley, Mr. Steady Spectacular: 23.3

Marc Gasol, Efficiency Expert: 23.4

Zach Randolph, Captain Wear-You-Down: 14.0

Visit http://darkoindex.com/2013/05/08/memphis-grabs-momentum-in-okc-mike-conley-is-mr-steady-spectacular/

to read the rest of this post, and follow the NBA playoffs.

Thanks for reading and go Grizz!

Jonah

Thunder Offense

Critical Fragments

27 lead changes in this game: most in a playoff game since 2009
Memphis: 16 offensive rebounds
OKC: 21 turnovers
By getting second chances and forcing turnovers, Memphis took 16 more shots (86-70) than OKC.
Kevin Martin’s 2 of 11
Durant (via shot or pass) has accounted for 62% of Thunder made baskets in Games 1 and 2. Obviously, he needs more help.

Game Scores (thanks to basketball-reference.com)- here's an explanation:

Oklahoma City

Kevin Durant, Captain I-Miss-My-Pal-Russ: 30.8

The M-I-J Trio (Martin-Ibaka-Jackson): 13.2

Kevin Martin, Mr. In-Over-His-Head: 0.4, yes, ZERO-point-four.

Serge Ibaka, Lost-Confidence-Man: 7.4

Reggie Jackson, Mr. Not-Westbrook: 5.4

Derek Fisher, The-Wily-Veteran-Who-Won’t-Retire: 14.5

Fisher dropped in 4 of 5 from distance, and his 14 first-half points were huge to the Thunder’s early lead. Memphis made sure Fisher had no breathing space in the second half.

—

Memphis

Game Scores, with nicknames:

Mike Conley, Mr. Steady Spectacular: 23.3

Marc Gasol, Efficiency Expert: 23.4

Zach Randolph, Captain Wear-You-Down: 14.0

Visit http://darkoindex.com/2013/05/08/memphis-grabs-momentum-in-okc-mike-conley-is-mr-steady-spectacular/

to read the rest of this post, and follow the NBA playoffs.

Thanks for reading and go Grizz!

Jonah

Poll

How will Memphis-OKC finish?

Memphis in 6

14 votes

Memphis in 7

0 votes

OKC in 6

0 votes

OKC in 7

0 votes

14 votes | Poll has closed

Adjustments Heading Into Game 2...

2013-05-07T17:08:14Z

Tonight is a big game for our Grizzlies; in a series we are expected to win, that road will be paved much more easily with a victory in the "Community" of Loud City tonight. Here are some things to look for as adjustments moving forward...

1. An aggressively facilitating Mike Conley- Mike should look to engage his teammates on the drive more consistently tonight. A constant point of frustration for me and other Grizz fans is the apparent lack of calls our guys get in the paint. Despite this, we have to continue to attack the basket. And this is especially true of Mike Conley. While he drove and got multiple shots in the paint (8 of his 15, he missed 5 of them), Mike only had 3 assists. When Mike gets more than 7 assists, the offense flows better and becomes more based on the open man finding his shot. Mike will find his stroke and hit those layups with more regularity, but less pressure on Mike to score means more ability to pressure the defense and make them pick their poison.

2. Less Quincy or Tayshaun, more (and better) Tony. Q was effective from long range last game, and we all know Lionel loves Q's versatility. However, Tony Allen needs more minutes. The Grizzlies the past 2 years when Tony Allen plays more than 25 minutes in the playoffs are 6-2. When he plays less, they are 1-5 (thanks to Chris Vernon for the stat.) That's not a bad sample size. Obviously situation dictates this some; if we're down 10 I would rather our most offensively balanced lineup with Bayless off the ball. Close game, or if we are protecting a lead, Tony Allen needs to turn the water off on KD or Martin. The Grindfather needs more minutes, and if that means Tony at the 3 more, so be it. Part of that is Tony himself; he needs to be under control offensively and focus on his man more on defense. He does those things, he needs to be on the floor. Period.

3. Commitment to the boards. This coincides a bit with one of the top rebounding 2 guards in the league playing more. However, Darrell Arthur, Tayshaun Prince and Quincy need to recommit to the boards themselves. Outside of Marc and Zach, no one had more than 5 rebounds. Kevin Durant had more rebounds by himself than Tay, Q and DA combined. In order for us to take control of the series KD cannot get 15 defensive rebounds tonight or ever again. Get a body on him and box out, get extra posessions off of offensive rebounds. Ed Davis instead of DA at times could possibly provide the help on the boards we need, especially on the offensive glass using his length and athleticism for the DeAndre Jordan Memorial tip out rebounds.

Improvements at the free throw line and on backdoor cuts have been discussed a lot. However, if the Grizz get a more facilitating Mike Conley, more good minutes out of Tony Allen and a better commitment to the boards as a team, they will head into a 3 day break back in Memphis with a 1-1 split against OKC.

NBA Playoffs Game 1 Recap: Barf Sandwich - Thunder 93, Grizzlies 91

2013-05-05T22:48:32Z

I think the only thing that would have made that hurt more is if ~~I dug out my heart with a salad fork~~ Thabeet had posterized Gasol on a windmill dunk to win the game.

Did anyone else happen to climb into a DeLorean and end up in 2008? Cause it sure felt like that was a classic Memphis Grizzlies 4th Q meltdown that would have done Marc Iavaroni proud.

Breathe. Compose yourself. You can sweep up all the broken glass later. To the recap...

After the first period it was looking like this one would finish somewhere in the 40-38 range. The Grizz got off to a nice start with Zbo looking to assert himself early and the Thunder shaking off some jitters and funky play. We kept OKC's Community* standing for several minutes before Durant started to get in his rhythm, and unfortunately he'd never really come out of it again. OKC brought out the zone defense and forced us to look for perimeter shots - with us taking 8 beyond the arc - and missing 7 of those over the course of about 7 minutes. Although both teams shot abysmally in the 1st, it was a little unsettling to see us getting out of our game so early on. Jarry D aka Yella Yella aka Please Call Me Yello Yello Bayless looked like he might heat up early, but the Thunder made it a point to stifle him after his hot start .... sorta like we shoulda done with Kevin Martin methinks? ...

The 2nd Q saw some of our worst fears start to manifest themselves like demons crawling out of a brimstone-reeking-coagulation of pure darkness and evil. Hyperbole aside, the Kevins were making mincemeat of our paint, hitting ridiculous shots and getting silly And1's tallied up to the point where I'm sure Chris Paul was belting out fervent "AMEN!"s from his couch. We did a standup job of weathering the storm and stayed toe-to-toe with the Thunder once we figured out how to get the ball back inside to the Big Fellas. I was, personally, a mixed bag of emotions at halftime. You could feel the Grizzlies starting to figure things out, but, as someone commented on a previous post, having Kevin Durant and Kevin Martin both heat up so early is not our recipe for success. We'd go into the locker room only down by 1, but the 14 and 15 pts respectively for Durant and Martin were turning my stomach a bit.

And then I got to listen to Magic Johnson at halftime. Weeeee!

Remember when it was the end of the 3rd quarter, and the Grizzlies had just Ground out a spectacular 12 minutes that embodied how we beat teams? Mike Conley looked like an elite point guard, we were moving the ball and racking up the dimes, Qpon was hitting 3's like Ray Allen and summoning the mashup spirit of Shane Battier & Rudy Gay, Austin Daye was on the bench and I think there might have even been a few rays of sunshine outside. Yeah those were good times. Maybe I should just end the recap here while I still have an appetite. We really looked poised to steal this one with how we played in the 3rd quarter. The Kevins continued to score and get to the line, however, they had their fair share of misses and bad shots mixed in. Five Grizzlies in double digit points at the end of the 3rd and Qpon hitting an amazing buzzer beater; we had it. We had the momentum, the pace ... the look. How foolish I was - I was doing my best to ignore the 53% FT shooting - and that really came back to bite us in the ass.

Up by 9 points with twelve minutes to play!

Then it all.... just... kinda.....fell apart.

It actually took a while to fall apart, too. The Grizzlies maintained a 7 pt lead with just 6:25 to play. Then Kevin Durant happened ... er .. continued happening. Mix that in with the fact that Conley couldn't buy a basket or get to the line, throw in a dash of Gasol missing some untimely shots that he usually makes, sprinkle on a little bit of going 6/9 from the line and that actually raising our overall %, and you've got an Alton Brown quality recipe for perfect game-choking disaster a la Grizzly. Oh did I mention that with 2.9 seconds left we were given a GIFT of a moronic foul by Reggie Jackson when Qpon rose up for a potentially game tying 3 point shot? Yeah, 3 shots to tie the game. AAAAANNNNND..... miss. doink, clang, doh, fart, boink, brick, bangalangalang ... choose your sound effect. All it sounded like to me, honestly, was my adrenaline-ravaged-heart falling from somewhere in my chest down into my shins. After a make and an intentional miss, we Grizzlies fans were further tortured when Gasol gets a rebound .1 seconds too late and actually has his hail mary flip shot goal-tended .... then reviewed and squashed even though it wasn't even close to coming off his hands in time. The Grizz were beaten at their own game, being out-hustled and giving up ridiculous turnovers down the stretch.

Well, now that I'm sobbing and rocking back and forth while sucking my thumb - we should look ahead. It's a heartbreaker, but we should be encouraged with the matchups we'll have the rest of the way. It took the Grizzlies 1.5 games to even begin to figure out the Clippers so to see our boys come out and come that close to stealing one should act as a mental Tums for the acid reflux of anguish that comes with a loss such as this. It's quite a bugger to go from worrying about CP3 to worrying about the Durantula, but Durant will get his 30 ... I say give it to him** and focus more on stopping his supporting cast - Kevin Martin and Reggie Jackson.

GnG. On to Tuesday. But the Boys in Beale St Blue can't let another opportunity like this slip away.

Worthy of Note:

I really hope Treat Tony comes to play on Tuesday. TA being limited to 20 minutes is not going to favor our attempts to keep the Kevins under wraps. (84 seconds of play in the 4th Q - sad face)
Sir Chewbacca (h/t to Fajotni), Kendrick Perkins and Nick Collison were a combined 3/19 from the field. Zbo, Gasol and Arthur were a combined 16/33. Inspiring yet frustrating at the same time. We have the paint dominated if we can just get it there.
Overall the stats were very close for both teams, with the defining differential being our 58% FT shooting compared to the Thunder's 88%
Good thing we traded for Ed Davis.
No technical fouls called. I expect that to start changing.
Quincy Pondexter is taking this game especially hard. I'd encourage anyone on the Twitter box to send him some positive messages and give him some love.

*Community? Really? Will the next shirts say "Friendship" or just "XOXO"? Or is this one of those creative ad campaigns that'll have Tuesday's shirt say "Starring Joel McHale" with "8/7c on NBC" rally flags?

** Anyone else notice the defensive move a couple of Grizz pulled on Durant where he was driving in the lane and instead of trying to match his movement they calmly step to the side and give him about 4-5 ft to shoot? Not sure if it was intentional or just bad rotation, but it seemed to throw Durant off a couple of times.

Click here for the Thunder perspective and to perpetuate your misery

And the box score to further that effort

I think the only thing that would have made that hurt more is if ~~I dug out my heart with a salad fork~~ Thabeet had posterized Gasol on a windmill dunk to win the game.

Did anyone else happen to climb into a DeLorean and end up in 2008? Cause it sure felt like that was a classic Memphis Grizzlies 4th Q meltdown that would have done Marc Iavaroni proud.

Breathe. Compose yourself. You can sweep up all the broken glass later. To the recap...

And then I got to listen to Magic Johnson at halftime. Weeeee!

Up by 9 points with twelve minutes to play!

Then it all.... just... kinda.....fell apart.

GnG. On to Tuesday. But the Boys in Beale St Blue can't let another opportunity like this slip away.

Worthy of Note:

I really hope Treat Tony comes to play on Tuesday. TA being limited to 20 minutes is not going to favor our attempts to keep the Kevins under wraps. (84 seconds of play in the 4th Q - sad face)
Sir Chewbacca (h/t to Fajotni), Kendrick Perkins and Nick Collison were a combined 3/19 from the field. Zbo, Gasol and Arthur were a combined 16/33. Inspiring yet frustrating at the same time. We have the paint dominated if we can just get it there.
Overall the stats were very close for both teams, with the defining differential being our 58% FT shooting compared to the Thunder's 88%
Good thing we traded for Ed Davis.
No technical fouls called. I expect that to start changing.
Quincy Pondexter is taking this game especially hard. I'd encourage anyone on the Twitter box to send him some positive messages and give him some love.

Click here for the Thunder perspective and to perpetuate your misery

And the box score to further that effort

Poll

If one were to blame, where might this blame lie?

Mike Conley

9 votes

Quincy Pondexter

2 votes

Lionel Hollins

14 votes

Oh wait we just got beat by one of the best players to ever pick up a basketball, GnG!!! On to the next game!!

65 votes

90 votes | Poll has closed

And the Winner Is...

2013-05-02T13:19:01Z

Before I say who won the contest, let me say I really appreciate all of the kind words about the idea. I know I am opinionated and often people ~~wrongfully~~ disagree with me, but I do believe that as long as we're all respectful of each other and back up our ideas with basketball based evidence, discussion and debate is healthy. We can all agree we are passionate about this team, and it was shown by the stories that were posted. Kudos again, I am happy to be a part of this Internet Juke Joint.

After reading all the stories, 2 people officially entered for the tickets while others kindly just posted to tell their stories. Doof54 entered for his son, and Chris Faulkner entered as well. Both had great stories, and both had impressive examples of fandom.

After careful consideration, I have decided to give the tickets ~~for $300 dollars~~ to...Doof83! Chris, thank you for the entry. I just thought it was really cool that Doof54 entered for his son, and the creation of a new GBBer in the process, Doof Jr., was too much to pass up. Plus, he mentioned December 29th as a game they went to together...I will be getting married December 28th of this year. Felt like fate. Welcome to the boards, Doof83, enjoy the game! I will get you the tickets. If your fiance can't make it because of work, please let me know and I will pass them along to Chris.

Thanks again to everyone!

Joe "MulliGrizz" Mullinax

Thanks again to everyone!

Joe "MulliGrizz" Mullinax

NBA Playoffs Game 5 Recap: You can have your Hero Ball - Grizzlies 103, Clippers 93

2013-05-01T10:37:59Z

Yes.

Wait .. no..

Yes!!!@#&$%*!

My goodness. That felt good. What once looked like a bleak 2-0 deficit has now turned into a momentum-bearing lead at a 3-2 advantage with the Memphis Grizzlies defeating the Los Angeles Clippers 103-93 Tuesday night. Maybe it was the significance of this game - maybe it was the physical play - maybe it was three of our starters with 20+ points - but something about this game seemed to summarize everything you wanted this Memphis Grizzlies team to be all year long.

I'll preface with a few blanket points:

The officiating was indeed spotty on both sides. That first defensive "flop" by Griffin was no flop … Marc Gasol destroyed him and there was no call. Yet minutes later a foul is called on Tony Allen for grazing the arm hair of Chris Paul. .. ? ? Bush league.
With Russell Westbrook and Derrick Rose out this is probably one of, if not the best, PG matchups of the playoffs. Conley and Paul did not disappoint tonight - epic duel from start to finish.
Zach Randolph. Currently enjoying my crow pie courtesy of claiming Zbo was done and/or physically uncapable of leading us during the last few weeks of the season. Tastes like happy.
The Grizzlies have seemed intent on stopping lob dunks from this team all season and especially now in the playoffs. A strength of our Grizzlies is controlling pace, and along with that comes controlling momentum. This team has a collective urgency that allows them to stifle their opponents' momentum before it's overwhelming.

It's unfortunate that Blake Griffin couldn't be at 100% in this game because of some ill-timed practice mishap. Um.. but also … it's fortunate that Blake Griffin couldn't be at 100% in this game because of some ill-timed practice mishap. I have to give an honest hats off to Griffin for playing in this game as long as he did, but from early on it was obvious his high-ankle sprain was significantly limiting his effectiveness. I hate to point out the obvious "Blake is a baby" joke, but he was literally rocking his ankle on a cradle during his bench time. I'm pretty sure CP3 was aware of this early on seeing as his 21 first half points basically anchored the Clippers' existence in the game.

I have to also give an honest hats-off to one Coach Lionel Hollins. I felt pretty dismal about his future in Memphis and his abilities to take us far into the playoffs as a coach in the first 1.5 games …. k maybe a full 2 (unfairly). But his Jackson Pollock-like approach to his lineups has seemed to form a quite beautiful and intriguing pattern throughout the first 5 games. I believe these two teams are lot more evenly matched than some say, and I believe a good deal of this series will come down to coaching. Hollins' over-management of foul trouble in the first game cost us an embarrassing loss IMO, but looking back now it might have allowed him to rule out a lot of bad combinations in a game that was probably not very winnable, honestly.

Game log wise: the referees nearly lost total control of the game within the first 2 minutes. They obviously combatted that with a flurry of head scratching foul calls to get everyone to put their shivs and garrote wire away in the 2nd quarter. Rebounding proved to be key early on - obviously. And although we finished only 2+ in the 'bounding differential we kept ourselves in the game during the first quarter by grabbing some key rebounds both offensively and defensively.

What was up with the Clipps' defensive three second calls? I counted a total of 3? Either the Clippers are getting tired from the brutal nature of this series or … no wait that's probably it. Because it happened to them again on the offensive side not too much later. Can't bring myself to credit Memphis' ball movement or play complexity on that one.

Smart, veteran plays really carried us through the first half. The Grizzlies are gelling at the right time. Tayshaun Prince was sent a memo last game saying that he was indeed an NBA player and had indeed played in the league for 10 years and was indeed healthy and not a zombie. The man has since shown up all over the court and his moxie looks to be rubbing off on some other people. The Grizz close out the half with good effort, some crisp play overall, and some very timely made FT's to give us a +6 buffer at halftime.

We came out sputtering at the start of the 3rd, but Marc Gasol soon took control and furthered the point that absolutely no one on the Clippers can guard him. Besides CP3 and Grizz-Killer Crawford, there was not much going well for the Clippers on offense. Blake Griffin left the game during the 3rd … along with the Clippers only legitimate post game. CP3 continued to make spectacular play, one after another, but when LA started to sneak up with some rhythm the Grizzlies matched them just about every time. Oh and then JARRYD BAYLESS happened ….. WOW! You have to believe this guy has a huge game waiting to burst out of him in the near future. The play with which he punctuated the 3rd quarter extended our lead to 8 points and erupted my living room into what probably sounded like screams of torture and death from across the street. (Sorry neighbors .. it was happy rage!)

Marc Gasol started the 4th Q with burying himself under some heavy foul trouble. You could see Hollins playing the mental chess with his 5 fouls - he wanted to keep him on the bench as long as we had a 4-5 pt cushion - but you have to believe if the score got any closer Gasol would have come back in regardless of the the consequences. It didn't seem to phase the Grizz, however, as Prince and Randolph spearheaded the 4th quarter effort until Gasol was able to come back in. Marc did a superb job of closing space without making contact (DPOY much?), staying away from the 6th foul and snagging crucial rebounds down the stretch. The Clippers didn't muster much of a fight in the waning minutes and the Grizzlies outscored them 30-28 in the final quarter. 30 point 4th quarters are really good for this team.

Memphis wins in another fairly dominating fashion.

Final Game Notes:

This was one of the biggest wins in franchise history.
Whatever adrenaline Blake Griffin had to start the game (that allowed him to ignore his ankle pain) was totally negated by the tech called on him 3 mins in.
Marc Gasol is a top 10 player in the NBA.
Chris Paul is a top 5 player in the NBA.
Keyon Dooling is at least useful for absorbing stupid fouls that might normally go to Conley.
I'm somehow not missing Ed Davis or Austin Daye - two of the tallest players on our team.
The fact that nearly every NBA player is afraid of Zbo … to the point where he can bow-up and bull rush them, only to rub their head like a puppy dog and smile … pretty much cements him as one of the most physically imposing people on earth.
These two teams had a nearly identical game statistically. Percentages, rebounds, assists, fouls, blocks, steals - but two key stats stand out to me (if I may put my Hollinger pants on for a second): Clipps with 13 turnovers compared to Grizzlies 7 ----- All 5 Grizzlies starters were a + in the differential, all 5 Clipp starters were a - …. and by quite a bit on both accounts. I'm no expert or coach or sports guru by any stretch, but what that tells me is the Grizzlies simply hustled harder and wanted it a little bit more.
The post game interviews - CP3 (in his cosmopolitan TMNT outfit) and Vinny Del Negro both looked fairly dejected and baffled after the game. You know LA is going to bring crazy energy to Game 6, but the mentalist in me sees a team that just suffered a catastrophic blow.
Post game Lionel Hollins made a comment about how Gasol defers to Zbo when their both in the game but becomes more assertive when Zbo is on the bench. It's undoubtedly done with cognizance and purpose, but c'mon Marc … Zbo isn't Pau … you're not gonna get titty-twisted for dominating the ball … just want to remind you that you're a 28 year old beast that just won DPOY and you can score from anywhere inside the arc.
Oh yeah one last note: AHHHH HAHAHAHAHHAHA OMG WE WON!! YEEEAAAAARGGGHHHH HAHAHAHAHAHHAHBWAHAHAHA!! When Kevin offered me the chance to do this recap I knew it would either be one of the most excruciating or most invigorating things I'd ever written. Memphis' starting 5 knew I couldn't handle writing a defeated game recap, and the integrity of my blood vessels appreciates them very much.

On to Game 6, Grizz Nation and GBB Goodfellows. The great thing about NBA playoffs is that each game can become the most important game of the season, and we have yet another

This is a team being lead by many, not a hero being followed by few.

GnG

Yes.

Wait .. no..

Yes!!!@#&$%*!

I'll preface with a few blanket points:

The officiating was indeed spotty on both sides. That first defensive "flop" by Griffin was no flop … Marc Gasol destroyed him and there was no call. Yet minutes later a foul is called on Tony Allen for grazing the arm hair of Chris Paul. .. ? ? Bush league.
With Russell Westbrook and Derrick Rose out this is probably one of, if not the best, PG matchups of the playoffs. Conley and Paul did not disappoint tonight - epic duel from start to finish.
Zach Randolph. Currently enjoying my crow pie courtesy of claiming Zbo was done and/or physically uncapable of leading us during the last few weeks of the season. Tastes like happy.
The Grizzlies have seemed intent on stopping lob dunks from this team all season and especially now in the playoffs. A strength of our Grizzlies is controlling pace, and along with that comes controlling momentum. This team has a collective urgency that allows them to stifle their opponents' momentum before it's overwhelming.

Memphis wins in another fairly dominating fashion.

Final Game Notes:

This was one of the biggest wins in franchise history.
Whatever adrenaline Blake Griffin had to start the game (that allowed him to ignore his ankle pain) was totally negated by the tech called on him 3 mins in.
Marc Gasol is a top 10 player in the NBA.
Chris Paul is a top 5 player in the NBA.
Keyon Dooling is at least useful for absorbing stupid fouls that might normally go to Conley.
I'm somehow not missing Ed Davis or Austin Daye - two of the tallest players on our team.
The fact that nearly every NBA player is afraid of Zbo … to the point where he can bow-up and bull rush them, only to rub their head like a puppy dog and smile … pretty much cements him as one of the most physically imposing people on earth.
These two teams had a nearly identical game statistically. Percentages, rebounds, assists, fouls, blocks, steals - but two key stats stand out to me (if I may put my Hollinger pants on for a second): Clipps with 13 turnovers compared to Grizzlies 7 ----- All 5 Grizzlies starters were a + in the differential, all 5 Clipp starters were a - …. and by quite a bit on both accounts. I'm no expert or coach or sports guru by any stretch, but what that tells me is the Grizzlies simply hustled harder and wanted it a little bit more.
The post game interviews - CP3 (in his cosmopolitan TMNT outfit) and Vinny Del Negro both looked fairly dejected and baffled after the game. You know LA is going to bring crazy energy to Game 6, but the mentalist in me sees a team that just suffered a catastrophic blow.
Post game Lionel Hollins made a comment about how Gasol defers to Zbo when their both in the game but becomes more assertive when Zbo is on the bench. It's undoubtedly done with cognizance and purpose, but c'mon Marc … Zbo isn't Pau … you're not gonna get titty-twisted for dominating the ball … just want to remind you that you're a 28 year old beast that just won DPOY and you can score from anywhere inside the arc.
Oh yeah one last note: AHHHH HAHAHAHAHHAHA OMG WE WON!! YEEEAAAAARGGGHHHH HAHAHAHAHAHHAHBWAHAHAHA!! When Kevin offered me the chance to do this recap I knew it would either be one of the most excruciating or most invigorating things I'd ever written. Memphis' starting 5 knew I couldn't handle writing a defeated game recap, and the integrity of my blood vessels appreciates them very much.

On to Game 6, Grizz Nation and GBB Goodfellows. The great thing about NBA playoffs is that each game can become the most important game of the season, and we have yet another

This is a team being lead by many, not a hero being followed by few.

GnG

Memphis, the Grizzlies and You- A Love Story for Game 6 Tickets!

2013-04-30T17:09:10Z

A little more than a week ago, I wrote a very detailed FanPost about my falling for the Beale Street Bears and how it related to my eventual ~~thankfully successful~~ proposal. I got some kind words and a few Recs, but it got me thinking; after being on the site a few months now I have realized some of us out there in GBB-land have not had the opportunity to attend a Grizz game, much less a playoff game. So, I decided to take advantage of my season ticket pre-sale and secure 2 tickets to Friday night's Game 6 for the sole purpose of allowing for someone who hasn't been able to go to the games for whatever reason to experience the Growl Towel waving, Jerry Lawler Piledriving, Granny and Grandpa dancing awesomeness.This is only for the tickets themselves, not for any travel or accommodations (thanks Doof.)

So, comment on this post with your own Grizz/Memphis love story. Tell me about how you fell for the team, what your favorite memories are, etc. and why you should get the tickets. The cutoff will be by 8 PM Wednesday night; I will post on Thursday morning the winner and will get you your tickets! This is independent of SBNation and Grizzly Bear Blues, I am giving these away myself and thought this would be a fun way to do it. Good luck!

Tony Allen- "We Have to Toughen Up"

2013-04-22T00:15:10Z

The article below outlines how the Grizzlies are upset by the lackluster opener. It outlines how Lionel Hollins was quite mad at film today about various mental mistakes and the overall lack of effort and inability to stop the pick-and-roll, how as Marc Gasol puts it "we need to be a little pissed off at ourselves" and interviews ~~shrinking violet 2008~~ Mike Conley, who says we have to be "better mentally prepared."

My analysis? No s****. Game 2 tomorrow.

http://espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2013/story/_/id/9197485/2013-nba-playoffs-tony-allen-memphis-grizzlies-says-toughen-up

My analysis? No s****. Game 2 tomorrow.

http://espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2013/story/_/id/9197485/2013-nba-playoffs-tony-allen-memphis-grizzlies-says-toughen-up

Grizzlies vs. Clips Game 1 Recap- Delving In The Stats Sheet

2013-04-21T16:15:36Z

The Los Angeles Clippers took Game 1 of the NBA Playoffs in a dominant fashion, winning with a score of 112-91 in Staples Center. Seemingly, the Grizzlies did not come to play as they were completely obliterated on both ends of the floor. Here, we look into the statistics and see what has not gone the Grizzlies' way:

1. Rebounds

-The Grizzlies only had 23 total rebounds compared to 47 by the Clippers. They just doubled their total rebounds- Marc Gasol had 2 rebounds and Zach Randolph only had 4, very unheard of! They should fix this immediately to make this a closer series, especially since this is more known to be one of their strengths in the game.

2. Ineffective Bench

-In the night where Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph struggled, the bench did not help much either. Aside from Jerryd Bayless who scored 19 points, the other bench guys could not score more than six points. On the other hand, the Clippers bench were clicking as they scored a total of 49 points.

3. Clips' FG shooting

The Grizzlies did okay as they went 33 out of 71 (46.5%). However, the Clippers went 41 out of 74 (55.4%). The Grizzlies must do a better job in making every Clipper miss their shots, since most of their shots are from good looks. You cannot expect to win a ball game when a talented team like the Clippers shoots at least 50%.

Game 2 of this series would still be held in Los Angeles. The Grizzlies might wanna come back roaring to steal a game from there and take care of home court when they come back in the FedEx Forum.

(stats are from ESPN.com)

1. Rebounds

2. Ineffective Bench

3. Clips' FG shooting

Game 2 of this series would still be held in Los Angeles. The Grizzlies might wanna come back roaring to steal a game from there and take care of home court when they come back in the FedEx Forum.

(stats are from ESPN.com)

Poll

Do you think the Grizzlies can steal Game 2 in Staples Center?

Yes

7 votes

No

3 votes

10 votes | Poll has closed