 |
| Tim Duncan stepped up in OT as the Spurs survived for a 2-0 lead. (Image from: Eric Gay/ AP) |
It almost appeared that the Spurs were gonna blowout the Grizzlies again with an 18-point lead in the 3rd quarter. Tony Parker was on his way to a career-high 18 assists while the Spurs were making their shots. But unlike Game 1, the Grizzlies did not quit and they competed hard in the last quarter. They woke up in the 4th quarter and delivered an impressive comeback led by Zach Randolph and Mike Conley. The Grizzlies went on a 15-2 run to tie the score at 85 and force overtime. There was a debatable flagrant foul called against the Spurs that helped the Grizzlies but everything that led to that moment was due to the effort and hustle from Memphis. In OT, the Grizzlies had no answer for Tim Duncan decided as he decided to take over. Timmy scored 6 points and played good defense which reminded us that he is arguably the best PF in NBA history. Duncan also had 5 fouls halfway during the 4th but he managed to avoid fouling out. After the game, Duncan commented that he was happy to be playing in the clutch. TD got benched in the 4th quarter during their last game and he sat for a few minutes after getting his 5th foul.
#flagrant? #flop? #acting?
With the Spurs up 85-81, Tony Allen got a steal from Ginobili and went for a fast break layup with 26 seconds to go. Allen didnt make the shot because Manu fouled him hard by grabbing Allen's arm. Allen fell to the floor hard and rolled/screamed in pain while holding his head. The referees decided to call it a flagrant foul 1 (no ejection) on Manu after reviewing the play. Without the use of a replay, I thought it was just a hard foul, definitely not flagrant. But after seeing Allen holding his head in pain, I reconsidered my stance and accepted that it could be a flagrant foul. Then I saw the slow motion replay which showed that Tony Allen did NOT hit his head on the court. So, was it a flop or good acting? Allen is a smart guy and he sold the foul/injury very well to the referees. The writhing in pain and holding his head tactics were a bit excessive and I expect the NBA to fine him for his acting. It's just weird that the referees ignored the fact that Allen "acted" because without the acting, the foul did not look that bad at all. He was actually fine and he made both FTs plus he played in overtime. Now, if Allen did hit his head on the floor, the NBA should require him to take concussion tests. Good thing the Spurs recovered and did not lose the game due to a debatable call.
#Game3 #Preview #GrindHouse
The Spurs are up 2-0 but the Grizzlies are definitely still in this series. They are going back to Memphis where the Grizzlies are undefeated in the GrindHouse (5-0). The Spurs also lost 2 games in Memphis during the regular season. Zach Randolph had a better game and finished with a double-double (15 points & 18 boards) but he struggled from the field and foul line.Marc Gasol also had a double-double as Memphis dominated the boards. Jerryd Bayless played great with 18 points off the bench but he took a bad shot in OT with the Spurs up 3 in the final seconds. For the Spurs, Ginobili continues to struggle shooting and scoring (7.5 points, 5-12 FGs). Their supporting cast has been great with the likes of Splitter, Green and Leonard scoring in double digits for the 2nd time in the series. I think the Grizzlies will take Game 3 in another close one.
#DraftLottery #Cavs
The Cleveland Cavaliers have been very lucky when it comes to landing the 1st overall pick in the NBA Draft. Nick Gilbert, son of the owner, provided the good luck charm again as the Cavs got the 1st pick for the 2nd time in 3 years. They drafted Kyrie Irving in 2011 and when healthy, Kyrie is among the best players in the league. It has been rumored/reported that the Cavs could take Nerlens Noel of Kansas, a PF/C to improve a young front line that already has Tristan Thompson and Cody Zeller. The 2013 draft class is not that deep so trading the 1st pick is also a big possibility. There are already lots of theories that LeBron James could come back to Cleveland in 2014 due to their influx of young talent. The Cavs need to start winning more though before LBJ even entertains coming back.
#Stats #News
- Grizzlies dominated the glass 60-46 but they shot a measly 34%
- Spurs had the edge on points in the paint, 40-38
- Parker had 18 assists, the Grizzlies had 19
- Tim Duncan was +22 (game-high)
Tony Parker (Spurs) - 15 points, 18 assists (career-high), 5 rebounds and 3 steals
#Highlights of the Night
Quincy Attacking the Paint
#Tweets of the Night
Was it a flagrant foul on Manu Ginobili? Tony Allen: "Yeah, most definitely."
Given his overall body of work Tony Parker could be the best PG of his generation.
0 Comment