A breakdown of the Grizzlies-Spurs first-round series:
Story line: The Spurs rolled through the season with a revamped offense that averaged 103.7 points per game and shot 47.6 percent from the field. That was the key to clinching the second-best record in the league, but coach Gregg Popovich stated all along that unless the team played better defense, long a staple of San Antonio?s success, it wouldn?t last long in the postseason. The Spurs finished 11th in the league in defensive efficiency, well off their usual spot among the league leaders, and with Manu Ginobili suffering an elbow injury on the season?s final night, things look dicey in San Antonio. The eighth-seeded Grizzlies have size and athleticism?two things that the Spurs don?t handle very well.
Stars: The Spurs are still built on the foundation of three stars?guards Ginobili and Tony Parker and future Hall of Fame big man Tim Duncan. But Duncan is 34, and Popovich has switched the emphasis from a slow-and-steady inside game to the more frenetic perimeter play of the star guards. Duncan, who averaged a career low in scoring, will have to pick up his production in the playoffs. He (or one of the Spurs big men) will be challenged on the other end by Zach Randolph, who averaged 20.1 points and 12.2 rebounds and shot 50.3 percent from the field. San Antonio doesn?t have the size to match up against Randolph.
Role players: This is where the Spurs could have some problems. They?re not nearly as deep as they used to be, and their primary role players all have flaws. Small forward Richard Jefferson had a solid first half but slipped badly after the All-Star break. The Spurs have three big men, and each has an asterisk?Antonio McDyess is 36, DeJuan Blair is 6-7, and Matt Bonner is a no-post 3-point shooter. If Randolph is the Grizzlies? punch, their counterpunch is 7-0 center Marc Gasol. That?s an imposing front line. The Grizzlies have done a nice job boosting their depth and have not fallen off in the absence of injured star Rudy Gay. That?s thanks, in large part, to shooting guard Tony Allen and small forward Sam Young, who have improved the Grizzlies defense on the wings and have been efficient role players?neither puts up gaudy numbers, but neither hurts the Grizzlies with mistakes on the offensive end.
Benches: Maybe the most important player for the Spurs? postseason fate is bench stalwart guard George Hill, who has been Popovich?s most reliable reserve option?but if Ginobili is hampered and the Spurs have to start Hill, that could be trouble for the Spurs. The Grizzlies have been hoping that guard O.J. Mayo would warm up to a role as a high-scoring sixth man, but that hasn?t happened. Still, with second-year forward Darrell Arthur showing progress and with the trade-deadline acquisition of veteran forward Shane Battier, the bench has improved.
Xs and Os: The Grizzlies are an excellent inside team, but they?ll need to defend well against the Spurs? perimeter shooters?San Antonio shoots 39.9 percent on 3-pointers, best in the league. Their 3s will come from five main sources: Ginobili, Hill, Jefferson, Bonner and 26-year-old rookie Gary Neal.
Number that matters: 51.6. That is the number of points in the paint that Memphis scores per game, most in the league.
Outlook: The Spurs would have had a tough fight on their hands even before Ginobili hurt his elbow. The Grizzlies appeared to tank the final two games in order to force a matchup with the Spurs, so they must feel they have a shot against San Antonio. Hard to disagree?but ultimately, the Spurs know how to win in the playoffs. Spurs in seven.
2011 NBA playoffs matchups:
Spurs-Grizzlies | Lakers-Hornets | Mavericks-Blazers | Thunder-Nuggets | Bulls-Pacers | Heat-76ers | Celtics-Knicks | Magic-Hawks
First-round schedule:
Bulls, Pacers kick off the postseason Saturday
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