PREMIUM
Rogers' Monday MAULING >> 97-54-5 L156 NBA Sides! SIZZLING 33-15-1 L49!
(NBA) Memphis vs. San Antonio,
Point Spread: 11.00 | -104.00 Memphis (Away)
Result: Loss
Point Spread: 11.00 | -104.00 Memphis (Away)
Result: Loss
The set-up: The Spurs allowed the Grizzlies to score 30 points in the first quarter of their Game 1 series but Memphis never had more than 19 points in any of the final three quarters, with An Antonio pulling away for a 111-82 win. "They just took over the game," Grizzlies power forward Zach Randolph told reporters. "They started to hit shots and put pressure on us. We couldn't get the ball where we wanted to get it. We just couldn't get shots." A 19-0 run over a five-minute span bridging the third and fourth quarters turned the reasonably tight contest into a rout.Kawhi Leonard (25.5 & 5.8) not surprisingly led all Spurs with 32 points plus Popovich had to like Parker (just 10.1 PPG on the season) looking 'young again" with 18 points in minutes.
Memphis: The key to San Antonio disrupting Memphis was getting PG Mike Conley out of his rhythm. Parker helped in that regard, as Conley (20.5 & 6.3 APG) managed just 13 points on 5-of-14 shooting. "They forced other guys to handle the ball," Grizzlies head coach David Fizdale told reporters. "We went over it, we expected it, but we just didn't respond well to it. I thought Mike missed some chippies in there in the paint. But give them credit; they really turned the game around defensively against us." In an overall poor offensive effort by Memphis, the bright spot was center Marc Gasol (19.5 & 6.2), who scored 32 points on 11-of-18 shooting.
San Antonio: Leonard and PF LaMarcus Aldridge (20 points / six rebounds) were the only players to log more than 25 minutes for San Antonio on Saturday, so "Pop's" team will be well rested. "The best part was the team keeping its composure, not going off in different directions and just trying to do what he planned execution-wise on both ends of the floor," Popovich said. "I thought we got better as the game went on."
The pick: The Spurs rested their starters for the entire fourth quarter, which could be a huge advantage in a series that is expected to be a physical one between grind-it-out teams. Still, Memphis was awful after the first quarter, yet trailed just 74-64 with 1:53 to play in the third quarter. Memphis scored only 33 points in the second half and missed nine of its 10 three-point attempts after halftime. Memphis will be better in Game 2. The Spurs were just 19-22 ATS at home during the regular season and I'll take the points here with The Grizz. Make Memphis an 8* play.
Memphis: The key to San Antonio disrupting Memphis was getting PG Mike Conley out of his rhythm. Parker helped in that regard, as Conley (20.5 & 6.3 APG) managed just 13 points on 5-of-14 shooting. "They forced other guys to handle the ball," Grizzlies head coach David Fizdale told reporters. "We went over it, we expected it, but we just didn't respond well to it. I thought Mike missed some chippies in there in the paint. But give them credit; they really turned the game around defensively against us." In an overall poor offensive effort by Memphis, the bright spot was center Marc Gasol (19.5 & 6.2), who scored 32 points on 11-of-18 shooting.
San Antonio: Leonard and PF LaMarcus Aldridge (20 points / six rebounds) were the only players to log more than 25 minutes for San Antonio on Saturday, so "Pop's" team will be well rested. "The best part was the team keeping its composure, not going off in different directions and just trying to do what he planned execution-wise on both ends of the floor," Popovich said. "I thought we got better as the game went on."
The pick: The Spurs rested their starters for the entire fourth quarter, which could be a huge advantage in a series that is expected to be a physical one between grind-it-out teams. Still, Memphis was awful after the first quarter, yet trailed just 74-64 with 1:53 to play in the third quarter. Memphis scored only 33 points in the second half and missed nine of its 10 three-point attempts after halftime. Memphis will be better in Game 2. The Spurs were just 19-22 ATS at home during the regular season and I'll take the points here with The Grizz. Make Memphis an 8* play.
