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Tuesday, May 21st
(All times Eastern)
(5) MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES (0-1) AT (2) SAN ANTONIO SPURS (1-0), 9 P.M.
(Sports Network) - The San Antonio Spurs will try to take a commanding 2-0
lead over the Memphis Grizzlies in the Western Conference finals Tuesday night
at the AT&T Center.
The Spurs dominated Game 1 on Sunday with a 105-83 victory. Five San Antonio
players scored in double figures and the venerable Tracy McGrady was the only
Spur who didn't score a point.
"Our ball movement was great tonight," said Spurs guard Tony Parker. "We shot
the ball very well, it's just one game and we'll try and do the same thing in
Game 2. I'm sure they're going to make some adjustments."
To say the Spurs shot the ball "very well" is an understatement.
San Antonio shot 52.6 percent from the field and 48 percent from long range.
The Spurs established a new franchise record with 14 made 3-pointers on Sunday
afternoon.
"The ball happened to go into the basket," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said at
practice on Monday. "Some nights you make two, some nights you make 14.
There's never really a reason. We didn't run anything magical to get the
shots. They just went in last night."
Parker led the Spurs with 20 points and nine assists and Kawhi Leonard was
next with 18 points. He connected on 4-for-5 shooting from beyond the arc.
Danny Green made a trio of 3-pointers for 16 points and Matt Bonner sank four
from deep for 12. Gary Neal also scored double figures with 11 off the bench.
The big men for San Antonio didn't do much offensively in Game 1. Tim Duncan
managed only six points, but pulled down 10 rebounds, and Tiago Splitter
netted one point.
What they lacked on the offensive end, they more than made up for at the
defensive side.
Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol, this season's Defensive Player of the Year,
combined for 17 points on 8-for-24 shooting. Gasol was fine with 15 points and
seven rebounds. It was Randolph who struggled to two points on 1-for-8
shooting.
"I'm hard on myself. I really couldn't sleep last night," Randolph said
Monday. "I don't like losing. It was definitely frustrating."
Quincy Pondexter led the Grizz in scoring with 17 points, followed by Gasol
and Mike Conley's 14.
Defense was the Grizzlies' calling card all season. They led the NBA in
opponents' scoring and Sunday's debacle was only the third time this
postseason Memphis allowed 100 points or more.
But the Grizzlies certainly aren't out of it despite the experience
difference. The Spurs are in the Western finals for the eighth time in 15
years and Memphis is making its first trip this far.
The Grizzlies dropped the first game in each of the last two series, but
overcame both deficits and beat the Los Angeles Clippers and Oklahoma City
Thunder.
Game 3 is slated for Saturday night in Memphis.
05/21 10:27:02 ET
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