Saturday, April 30th, 2011 at 9:59 am  |  41 responses

Post Up: Dream a Little Dream

Grizzlies cruising to Round 2!

Grizzlies 99, Spurs 91

So much for bold declarations. The Grizzlies cared little for momentum Friday, bouncing back from a devastating Gary Neal buzzer beater to dispatch of the Spurs with the casual deft of a mama bear batting away her cub.

Legacy? Whatever. Move, bitch. Get out the way.

San Antonio, once the titan of the West, was little more than a plaything for Zach Randolph and Co. in Game 6 as Z-Bo lit up the Spurs like a Drake track featuring Jay-Z on his way to a Playoff career high 31 points – 17 of which came in the fourth quarter – and 11 rebounds.

Marc Gasol joined Randolph on the double-double train with 12 points and 13 points. Greivis Vasquez added 11 points off the bench.

For the Spurs, it was business as usual, and business wasn’t good.

San Antonio, the best three-point shooting team in the League during the regular season, missed 17 of 22 threes and got to the line just 14 times. They turned the ball over 11 times and played suspect defense, rotating poorly against the likes of Darrell Arthur and Tony Allen, who really have no business getting easy looks in the lane.

Unlike the great teams of the past, these Spurs were awful down the stretch. They executed poorly and turned the ball over unnecessarily, failing to capitalize on what little opportunity they had.

As in previous losses, San Antonio failed to support to their go-to guy (in this case Tony Parker, who had 23 points on 17 shots). Manu Ginobili and Gary Neal combined to shoot two of 13 from beyond the arc, Richard Jefferson had his third crappy game in a row (0 points in 10 minutes), and Tim Duncan was again a specter of his former self – so much for the fountain of youth.

Meanwhile, the Grizzlies featured their usual balanced attack on offense (Randolph and Gasol dominated the inside, and Sam Young and Player X (in this case, Vasquez) hit their shots in the midrange) and their trademark ferociousness on defense.

Mike Conley struggled for the first time in the series, scoring just 9 points in 25 minutes, but Vasquez and others (namely, Arthur and OJ Mayo) picked up the slack for him. The Grizzlies shot 52.1 percent from the field as a team.

In the end, seeding meant nothing. The Grizzlies out-executed and, let’s face it, outplayed their veteran opponents. They move on to play the Thunder in the second round in what figures to be another fight to the death series.

I can’t wait. — Patrick Crawley / @BasketballFiend

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  • AllBall Posted: Apr.30 at 10:00 am
    Z-Boooooooooooooooooooooooo

  • The Fresh Prince of Nsam Posted: Apr.30 at 10:02 am
    Z Bo!!!

  • Antonio Bonner Posted: Apr.30 at 10:14 am
    Z……………Bo

  • HAMMER Posted: Apr.30 at 10:26 am
    Congrats to the Grizz. Never even entertained the idea of Spurs going down @ the hands of the Grizzwalds. Wow!

  • AllBall Posted: Apr.30 at 10:28 am
    Hammer I think you mean – Z-Bo!!

  • Jer dawg Posted: Apr.30 at 10:29 am
    I sure HOPE seeding Doesn’t matter in this case. Grizzlies need to beatdown the Thunder. Season series favor Grizzlies 3-1. In this season in particular season series seems to hold true. Atlanta over Orlando, celtics over Knicks, heat and Sixers. This Series seem to hold true so Grizzlies will prevail over Thunder. Durant is awesome, but it’s Lakers vs. grizzlies. IF Grizzlies get there it will validate that Gasol trade many years back has benefited them long term. Grizzlies look good. Love the small market team going up against big boy, Los Angeles Lakers.

  • HAMMER Posted: Apr.30 at 10:35 am
    And what’s even more amazing and is getting 4got n the shuffle, was that his was a #8 seed bouncing the #1 seed. Altho the Grizz r not ur typical #8 seed, this was an upset right up there w/the Warriors taking down Dallas in ’07 n my opinion. Most indeed R.I.P. to the Spurs dynasty. Its now official

  • just bcuz Posted: Apr.30 at 10:36 am
    i was just thinkin rudy gay must be saying “aint this bout a B*****”. all those years and the 1st year we do something im injured

  • Ryan Posted: Apr.30 at 10:43 am
    I’m wondering if the Grizzlies aren’t thinking about addition by subtraction with Rudy Gay does this make him available?

  • funkdoc Posted: Apr.30 at 10:46 am
    Word@HAMMER, this is a huge upset. I think the warriors had a more hollywood type team, while the grizz are scrappy and not really elegant. But for me this is a huge upset. I actually thought that the Spurs had a big shot at the title. I wonder what the outcome will be of Thunder Grizz, but anyway, it will be very nice to see either team in the West. Conference Finals. I think the Thunder will struggle against the Grizzlies, but maybe the Grizzlies will feel to confident going into this series; and even if the Grizz beat the Thunder, I think Lakers/Mavs – Grizz would be a big mismatch for the Grizz. Lakers/Mavs – Thunder on the other hand… One other thing: TONY ALLEEEEEEEEN!

  • JR Posted: Apr.30 at 10:46 am
    @Jer Dawg yeah, but when were those games played? OKC is a totally different team post Perkins trade; before Jeff Green and Ibaka would be guarding Z-Bo and Gasol, now it’s Ibaka and Perkins. Plus, they have Collison and Mohammad to throw into the mix. Big difference!

  • BlackPhantom Posted: Apr.30 at 11:09 am
    Zach Randolph is so underrated. But he pretty much killed the Spurs this series. I feel bad for Tarzan…

  • BlackPhantom Posted: Apr.30 at 11:10 am
    ..But then again I don’t because he’s a Spurs fan

  • lights out Posted: Apr.30 at 11:31 am
    a few thoughts on this series: 1. the grizzlies amazed me. they played great defense, and showed a real togetherness on offense. 2. tony allen needs to be on the first all defensive team. he won’t (i’m sure kobe will) but he should be. 3. zach randolph. damn. he has matured, and he is scary good. 4. i’m happy for the griz, but it’s sad for me to see the spurs, the team of my teenage years, and tim, the superstar of my teenage years, get bounced like this.

  • Lz - Cphfinest3 Posted: Apr.30 at 11:43 am
    Hide the jewellery, here comes Zeebo…

  • Nick Tha Quick Posted: Apr.30 at 11:53 am
    My thoughts on the Grizz: 1.Tony Allen is scary on D. But the man has one of the brokest jumpers in the country. Like backboard breaking bricks! 2. Wonder how it feels for a team’s star when they play better without you. Poor Rudy! 3. Z-Bo, like Manu always gets back to that left hand, but you cant stop it. You know its coming but you always bite when he fakes to the right. You gotta feel silly after a while!

  • HAMMER Posted: Apr.30 at 12:17 pm
    @lightsout. Good point on Zach’s maturity. Cuz since his days here w/my Blazers we knew he could play and put up points. That’s not new. But his maturity is what amazes me the most and am glad 2 c that

  • zoom Posted: Apr.30 at 12:41 pm
    Total congrats to the Griz! This is awesome for this young team, and Z-Bo really made me eat my words. I was never EVER real high on this guy, and last night he proved me wrong. I’m impressed by his play pretty much this whole series. If I weren’t so sure the Lakers were making it to the CFs I’d root for them against the Thunder, but I want to see the best possible team bump the Lakeshow out. Thunder/Grizzlies should be fun.

  • Darksaber Posted: Apr.30 at 12:49 pm
    That’s it?
    No consternation? No Schadenfreude?
    Guess it’s only when zee german loses in the 1st round against an 8th seed it’s worth the collective gloating of the bball world.
    As a Mavs fan, it’s good to see the triple headed Hydra of the Spurs get handled fairly easily by the scary-Grizzlies. (won’t hold my breath on Timmy getting called SOFT though :-)
    But honestly ,felt kinda bad for Manu, TP ,McDyess and even Cookie. (someone make sure Pop doesn’t have the team deported to Siberia btw.) Those are true basketball warriors.

  • The Philosopher Posted: Apr.30 at 1:39 pm
    Zach Randolph is in the prime of his career.

  • Feez22 Posted: Apr.30 at 1:42 pm
    Z-BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO what a beast!

  • Teddy-the-Bear Posted: Apr.30 at 2:51 pm
    Co-sign lights out.

  • walt williams Posted: Apr.30 at 2:57 pm
    NOBODY saw this coming. Nobody predicted this. Memphis will shock the world much like the SF Giants did last year, scrapping their way to a title!! Ohhhhhhh boy! If you don’t like that, you don’t like NBA basketball!! Goosebumps!

  • IAMORANGE4EVER Posted: Apr.30 at 3:03 pm
    Step away from the ledge, Spurs fans’. It’s not your fault. ISH happens! SMH

  • flipnoyce Posted: Apr.30 at 3:17 pm
    Eddie Winslow AKA Z-BO was clutch in the fourth quarter. I always knew that this dude can play.But, He was young and arrogant in the big city of Portland and NY.Z-BO’s game has always been tight but some how his mindset hasn’t always been there. I hope he and company keeps it up cause the Thunder will be a handful. Over all though I think they have no answer for Durant and Westbrook even with Battier and Tony Allen as good as they are.

  • Riggs Posted: Apr.30 at 3:18 pm
    i predicted this.

  • Allenp Posted: Apr.30 at 3:35 pm
    Mad people predicted this upset. It was the trendy pick. Now nobody is picking them to beat the thunder but I think they have a great shot. The thunder have a crappy offense.

  • JTaylor21 Posted: Apr.30 at 3:48 pm
    Co-sign AllenP. Mem beat OKC 3 times in the RS and I think they have a shot at beating them again in the second round. Put Allen on Westbrook/Battier on KD and they have a shot.

  • DatKid Posted: Apr.30 at 3:49 pm
    The grizzlies also have several elite wing defenders to throw at the thunder in battier and Allen …and I’m not really sure Perkins, and ibaka can handle zbo and Marc gasol…bc marc gasol is a totally diff. Animal from Pau.

  • RobbieJay Posted: Apr.30 at 3:51 pm
    told ya.

  • DatKid Posted: Apr.30 at 3:51 pm
    Oops…posted my thoughts just before yours did jtaylor cosign tho

  • RobbieJay Posted: Apr.30 at 3:51 pm
    in yo face ! (josh smith voice)

  • robb Posted: Apr.30 at 4:48 pm
    no, for real…In yo face

  • logues Posted: Apr.30 at 8:06 pm
    zbo is legit superstar! i think dude has deserved a cover

  • Allenp Posted: Apr.30 at 8:29 pm
    ^clearly doesn’t understand how covers are selected.

  • T-Money Posted: Apr.30 at 9:06 pm
    Z-Bo was doin weeerk on the block. Wow. I usuallly don’t believe in additiin by substraction but the team’s identity changed when Gay got hurt – they became more scrappy and rugged. I love their active hands, no passes are safe. It’s almost comical how many turnovers they provoke. If I were Hollins, I would stick TA on Westbrook from the jump. Grizzle in 7.

  • Teddy-the-Bear Posted: Apr.30 at 9:12 pm
    Okay, Allen, how about this:
    Next issue should be another two-cover special–one West, one East. The West will feature Randolph, Durant, Kobe, and Dirk on the cover; the East will feature LeBron, Garnett, Joe Johnson, and Derrick Rose.
    Gotta fit Randolph on a cover some time…

  • Allenp Posted: Apr.30 at 10:39 pm
    Magazine issues are planned weeks in advance. The events happening now will not be dealt with for some time.
    I think Rudy Gay will fall in line and that team will be scary. Moving oj to the bench was a huge move. Can you imagine that team bringing him, arthur, young, barrier and vasquez off the bench next year? That team is loaded right now.

  • IAMORANGE4EVER Posted: May.1 at 12:16 pm
    @T-Money: So you’re saying when they lost Gay, they got tougher?

  • Teddy-the-Bear Posted: May.1 at 3:43 pm
    Word, Allen. I think a lot of people are forgetting just how good Darrell Arther is–he’s only what, a sophomore right now? He can shoot the J, hounds the glass, and has a nice touch inside the paint. And he really lets the Monster that is Zach Gasol rest at least one of its heads.
    The Grizz are a legitimate contender right now–kudos to their GM for building one heck of a team. Whoever their GM is (I can’t remember his name), he deserves the Executive of the Year award.

  • Allenp Posted: May.1 at 4:13 pm
    Chris Wallace

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