What blazed out of this thread as fast as the mighty Grizz were going to blaze through the Spurs if they didn't comeback. I'm sure no one saw this coming... Wow, Memphis outscored 18-7 in OT on their own homecourt. Now they're down 3-0. They'll go down in history as a team that never deserved to get this far in the playoffs. Was any other team ever swept in a conference finals? Hopefully the Grizz can pull out some pride and win the next one, just so they're not such an embarrassment to the league.
I don't think he's a complete fraud. It IS baffling, however, how Ibaka and Perkins couldn't do anything against ZBo, but Duncan / Bonner / Splitter have had so much success.
This might be Stern's master plan. Aside from a few head-scrathers, these playoffs have been the best officiated I have seen in recent memory; there really haven't been many super-star calls. look at the calls Durant was getting; I recall him being sprawled out on the floor crying for fouls getting techs. When Stern retires he could potentially point to a Spurs/Pacers finals and these playoffs and say, "see it wasn't all about ratings and super-stars there was no preferential treatment; small markets had a chance during my tenure." Genius.
The Grizz got too satisfied with making it to the WCF. Plus, the Spurs still have that stinging 1st-round defeat from the Grizzlies in their heads.
Says a lot for... Executing a good system Unselfish players with chemistry No frills basketball. True veteran stars.
Coaching has something to do with it. The front court of OKC didn't front or double Memphis once. Spurs have 3 people on Z-bo all the time; they want Memphis to beat them with the 3 and we all know they can't. Scott brooks is just awful.
You'd root for the Heat over the Spurs?? OK, fair enough. Believe me, I hate Dallas, Utah, and Los Angeles- but I've never been able to dislike the Spurs- except for 1995, of course. :grin:
seriously grizzlies? The grizzlies that took out the Thunder in 5? Dang, we probably should've beat the thunder. Kind of pissed off at the Rockets for losing to them now.
To your first point: It's not like ZBo has stopped trying to get position. He's battling, but he's just not able to beat the fronting man. Credit to SA's defense. To your second point: the loss may sting, but I think it's an impossibility that Bonner and Splitter suddenly become the best defender of the 4 position, over the course of the playoffs.
Duncan needs to just marry a different person and get divorced every year (wait, scratch that-whatever playoff bonus he'd get would be wiped out, right?)
The grizzlies just ain't ready to go to the finals. And when Mike Conley has a bad game, the grizzlies usually lose. I am not going to put in all on Mike Conley because Gasol and Randolph are getting punked by Boner and Spliter.
You're right- but I think the fact that Randolph dominated the Spurs in that first-round defeat is why Pop is throwing double-teams at Randolph every single time. I mean, I remember Randolph destroying in that clinching game, right? Take away Randolph, and the Grizz ain't gonna win.
That´s not the case, the spurs simply don´t respect Memphis shooters so they double and triple team randolph with perimeter players. And they gave him a lot of hard covers.
Mentally it's probably tougher to try to beat a team 4 out of 5 instead of 4 out of 7. We were already down 2-0 when Westbrook went out. The Grizz wouldn't have stood a chance without the Rockets help...and the Spurs wouldn't be going to the finals either. Injuries are a b!tch...just ask the Rockets
