Memphis Is Foe San Antonio Spurs Need

The San Antonio Spurs are up 2-0 in the first round, but the Memphis Grizzlies are making them earn those wins. That’s a good thing.

Don’t let the scores fool you.

Yes, the San Antonio Spurs are playing a depleted Memphis Grizzlies team in the first round of the NBA playoffs.

Yes, they have handled the Grizz so far, taking a 2-0 lead en route to a widely anticipated first-round sweep. Yes, they gave Memphis its worst playoff loss in franchise history. Still, “Grit and Grind” is very much alive, as Memphis keeps fighting.

The Spurs should send them a thank-you card. Or perhaps some first-aid items.

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As I wrote in an earlier column, had the Spurs drawn the Houston Rockets during the first round, it would have been a much less taxing effort. That team is too mentally messed up to put up any type of fight, as evidenced by their trouncing by the Golden State Warriors for the past two games (the last without Stephen Curry, who nursed an ankle injury).

Granted, it could be argued that no eighth seed would be a match against the Warriors juggernaut, but any other team would have given much more effort (hi, Utah Jazz). When you’re at the bottom, you don’t have anywhere to go but up. Houston seems to have forgotten this, despite James Harden stuffing his stat sheet.

Which is why they got written off, literally, by the ever-blunt Charles Barkley.

The Grizzlies dropped from fifth place to seventh during the final days of the 2015-16 season; had the winds of fortune blown a different way, they’d be playing the Los Angeles Clippers–which would have been marginally better. Maybe. Plus, seeing Matt Barnes battle against his former team(s) is always entertaining, as is he.

It’s not like the Spurs asked for this, though you won’t find them complaining too much (the fans, however, are another matter). No warrior–hardwood, member of the armed forces, or otherwise–wants to win easily. The victory is much sweeter when you have to scrape for it.

Even though the Grizz are mere shadows of their former healthy selves, they still get respect from the Silver and Black.

"“They’re the type of physical team that won’t lie down,” Spurs guard Patty Mills told Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News. “They’ll keep coming whether they’re up 20 or down 20.”"

The Grit and Grind Grizzlies will give the Spurs all the scrape they want, and some they don’t want. This will ultimately be to the Spurs’ advantage, as it will not allow them to get complacent against a vulnerable team. They’ll probably face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the next round, unless the Dallas Mavericks pull off one of the most miraculous upsets in playoff history.

OKC will be even more motivated to knock the Spurs off their throne, since have so much to prove in this postseason (the least being how to stop blowing leads in the fourth quarter; the most, keeping Kevin Durant in the Sooner State).  San Antonio needs to maintain that edge in order to advance through the playoffs against stronger, hungrier teams.

And even though they are the rightfully pegged underdog, Memphis will not go gentle into that good night.  If they go down, they’ll go down swinging. That’s the best you can ask of an opponent.

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Games 3 and 4 will be at the Grindhouse in Memphis; you can count on the Grizzlies to make it a rough ride. Bring extra bandages, Spurs; you’ll need them.