{"id":343245,"date":"2011-03-28T02:25:17","date_gmt":"2011-03-28T02:25:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/2011\/03\/28\/grizzlies-extend-spurs-skid-to-3-ap\/"},"modified":"2011-03-28T02:25:17","modified_gmt":"2011-03-28T02:25:17","slug":"grizzlies-extend-spurs-skid-to-3-ap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/03\/28\/grizzlies-extend-spurs-skid-to-3-ap\/","title":{"rendered":"Grizzlies extend Spurs’ skid to 3 (AP)"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP)\u2014Despite the San Antonio Spurs<\/a> missing some key pieces,
\nthe Memphis Grizzlies<\/a> still sense their confidence rising after beating the team
\nwith the NBA\u2019s best record.<\/p>\n

Tony Allen<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> and Zach Randolph<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> had 23 points apiece, and the Grizzlies sent
\nSan Antonio to its third straight loss with a 111-104 victory over the Spurs on
\nSunday night.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo be a playoff team, you have to be tough. That\u2019s requisite number one,\u201d
\nsaid Memphis reserve forward Shane Battier<\/a>(notes)<\/a>,<\/span> who had 10 points. \u201cI think we
\nshowed we are a tough team. I would like to play a little smarter. That\u2019s the
\nnext step. But you have to have toughness, and there\u2019s no doubt in this team\u2019s
\ntoughness.\u201d<\/p>\n

Randolph also grabbed 11 rebounds for Memphis, which currently holds the
\neighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. If the Grizzlies earn
\nthe No. 8 seed, they will likely face the NBA-leading Spurs in the opening round
\nof the playoffs.<\/p>\n

And Memphis is well-aware of that.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey understand, just like we do, that we could possibly match up with
\nthem in the playoffs in a month or so,\u201d said Memphis guard Mike Conley<\/a>(notes)<\/a>.<\/span> \u201cFor
\nus to handle them the way we did and come back in the fourth quarter and make
\nsome big plays and big stops says a lot. That\u2019s a good team, and it says they
\nare not going to have an easy run if we do play them in the playoffs.\u201d<\/p>\n

O.J. Mayo<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> added 17 points for Memphis, Mike Conley had 12 and Marc Gasol<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> 11.<\/p>\n

The Spurs, already missing Tim Duncan<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> because of a sprained left ankle,
\nplayed the bulk of the second half without leading scorer Manu Ginobili<\/a>(notes)<\/a>,<\/span> who
\nsustained a left quad contusion.<\/p>\n

San Antonio has now lost all three games since Duncan went out with the
\ninjury.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe don\u2019t have time to worry about that,\u201d Spurs guard Tony Parker<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> said of
\nthe injuries. \u201cTimmy is not coming back anytime soon, so we just have to keep
\nplaying and make sure we pound that rock. Hopefully, it will go our way.\u201d<\/p>\n

George Hill<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> matched his career high with 30 points on 9-of-12 shooting for
\nthe Spurs. Parker had 20 points and six assists, and Richard Jefferson<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> scored
\n13.<\/p>\n

Hill said Ginobili\u2019s absence didn\u2019t necessarily change his approach to the
\ngame. He said coach Gregg Popovich has put a little more emphasis on Hill
\nlooking for his shot.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had the mindset coming in the whole time of really trying to be
\naggressive and try to help the team create something on the offensive and
\ndefensive end,\u201d Hill said. \u201cUnfortunately, Manu went down and we had to step
\nup play. But we just didn\u2019t do it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Memphis\u2019 victory, coupled with Houston\u2019s 125-119 loss to the Miami Heat<\/a>,
\nextended the Grizzlies\u2019 hold on the playoff spot to 2 1\/2 games over the
\nninth-place Rockets.<\/p>\n

Down the stretch, it was Allen, who finished the night missing only one of
\nhis 10 shots, and Randolph who led Memphis, erasing a five-point San Antonio
\nlead with 6:14 left.<\/p>\n

Hill did everything he could to keep the Spurs in the lead, but it wasn\u2019t
\nenough as Memphis closed the game with a 22-10 run.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was really proud of them,\u201d said Popovich, who wasn\u2019t around to see the
\nend of the game after a second-quarter ejection. \u201cWe\u2019ve had three tough road
\ngames. They pulled together pretty well and gave it their best shot. They just
\ncame out on the short end.\u201d<\/p>\n

Memphis held a 55-50 lead at halftime, but Popovich had headed to the locker
\nroom with 2:10 left after two quick technicals. Popovich got both technicals
\nafter he became upset that no foul was called as Ginobili collided with Gasol,
\nwho stole the ball leading to Leon Powe\u2019s<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> bucket.<\/p>\n

Parker kept San Antonio close with six early points after halftime, getting
\nhim to double figures, while Ginobili continued to struggle, limping from his
\ncollision with Gasol. Ginobili had put up only three shots by the midway point
\nof the third quarter. Ginobili finally gave up the effort at that point with the
\nSpurs trailing 68-61. He scored only 2 points.<\/p>\n

Parker continued to get to the basket, scoring 13 points in the third to
\nkeep San Antonio close, but Memphis still held an 81-77 lead entering the fourth
\nperiod.<\/p>\n

The Spurs opened the fourth with seven straight points to erase the
\nadvantage. Mayo was the only one scoring for Memphis with eight points by the
\nmidpoint of the quarter.<\/p>\n

Hill was offsetting Mayo\u2019s offense, helping San Antonio maintain its lead.
\nThat was when Memphis began feeding Randolph, who was scoring inside on several
\nSan Antonio players, helping kickstart Memphis\u2019 rally.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe made a great run, and they did a good job of taking care of home court
\nand having to run back,\u201d Hill said.<\/p>\n

The stretch play was a different mentality than previous years, when the
\nyounger Memphis players would have buckled after giving up a lead in the fourth
\nquarter against a top team.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis just shows how far we\u2019ve come,\u201d Randolph said. \u201cLast year, we
\nprobably would have let the game slip. We would have put our heads down. This
\nyear, we just battle it out. We don\u2019t put our head down. We keep our heads up
\nand continue to battle.\u201d<\/p>\n

For players like Conley, it is not only a difference in play and execution
\ndown the stretch, it is a different mindset. The win assured Memphis of its
\nfirst .500 season since 2005-06, the last time the Grizzlies went to the
\nplayoffs.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo see the team progress and see where we are now, it\u2019s a night-and-day
\ndifference,\u201d Conley said. \u201cThis locker room is alive, and the atmosphere is a
\nlot different. The fans are excited.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not satisfied, but it\u2019s a great feeling to be in the position we\u2019re in
\nright now.\u201d<\/p>\n

Notes: Popovich remains two games behind Red Auerbach for second place for
\nmost wins with a single franchise. Auerbach had 795 during his days as coach of
\nthe Boston Celtics<\/a>. Popovich has 793. Former Utah coach Jerry Sloan is in first
\nplace with 1,127 during his tenure leading the Jazz. \u2026 Memphis is 10-7 without
\nsecond-leading scorer Rudy Gay<\/a>(notes)<\/a>,<\/span> who had season-ending shoulder surgery last
\nweek. \u2026 Tiago Splitter<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> started his third game in place of Duncan. \u2026 Sunday\u2019s
\ngame wrapped up a three-game stretch for the Grizzlies against division leaders.
\nMemphis won at Boston (Atlantic) and lost at Chicago (Central) before defeating
\nthe Spurs (Southwest). \u2026 Memphis starting F Sam Young<\/a>(notes)<\/a><\/span> sustained a sprained
\nright ankle in the first half and didn\u2019t return. \u2026 Assistant coach Mike
\nBudenholzer took over when Popovich was ejected.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

View the original here:
\nGrizzlies extend Spurs’ skid to 3 (AP)<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP)\u2014Despite the San Antonio Spurs missing some key pieces, the Memphis Grizzlies still sense their confidence rising after beating the team with the NBA\u2019s best record. Tony Allen (notes) and Zach Randolph (notes) had 23 points apiece, and the Grizzlies sent San Antonio to its third straight loss with a 111-104 victory over the Spurs on Sunday night<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-343245","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\nGrizzlies extend Spurs' skid to 3 (AP) - Ghanamma.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/03\/28\/grizzlies-extend-spurs-skid-to-3-ap\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"Grizzlies extend Spurs' skid to 3 (AP) - Ghanamma.com\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"MEMPHIS, Tenn. 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