San Antonio Spurs: Surviving The Grizzlies’ Cutlery Gauntlet
A storm of three-pointers helped the San Antonio Spurs muzzle the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 3 Friday night.
The San Antonio Spurs came to the FedEx Forum seeking a third win in their first round matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies. Given that the first two games were won with relative ease back home in the AT&T Center, the Spurs knew that win number three was going to require some extra work.
Because: “Grit and Grind.”
Memphis guard Matt Barnes promised that the Grizz would give the Spurs something to think about when they visited the Grindhouse for the next two games, despite an already reduced roster being whittled even more as Jarell Martin went down for the rest of the playoffs with a foot injury. Indeed, the Grizz only had nine — count ’em, nine — players to dress for the game.
Bless their hearts.
After admitting that the rash of injuries to their roster had them at a distinct disadvantage, Barnes vowed that he and his team would do whatever they could to try and get a win in their house. “We’re going to throw everything at them, man,” Barnes told Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal. “Forks, spoons, knives. Whatever we got. Can openers. Wine bottle openers. Whatever we got.”
“We’re going to throw everything at them, man. Forks, spoons, knives. Whatever we got. Can openers. Wine bottle openers. Whatever we got.” — Memphis Grizzlies guard Matt Barnes
It almost worked.
At first, it looked like Memphis couldn’t get it together. They got into some foul trouble early, with a six-foul team tally by the end of the first quarter.
Then the Grizz did what they did best: challenging around the rim, getting timely steals, rebounding on both ends of the floor, and converting the offensive boards into a lot of second-chance points. The Grizzlies also outscored San Antonio in the paint. The team that only led for 25 seconds in Game 2
Stat of the night: Spurs have held a lead in 132 of 144 minutes this series.
— Quixem Ramirez (@quixem) April 23, 2016
was out in front by as much as nine points at one time in Game 3. It looked like the Grizz were going to bring a W home and keep the series alive.
Then the Spurs made Memphis see rainbows.
Kawhi Leonard, who matched his career-high 32 points, hit six three-pointers to add to what ended up being a gaudy stat line:
Kawhi Leonard had 32 points (on 11-22 shooting from the field), 7 rebounds, 5 blocks, 4 steals and 2 assists in the win over Memphis.
— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) April 23, 2016
Spurs' Kawhi Leonard is the 1st player with 30 pts, 5 blocks and no turnovers in a playoff game since Shaquille O'Neal on May 20, 2000.
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) April 23, 2016
Lines of the Night
— Josh Eberley 🇨🇦 (@JoshEberley) April 23, 2016
1) Kawhi Leonard; 32-7-2-4-5, W.
2) Isaiah Thomas; 42-4-1, W.
3) Kyrie Irving; 26-0-4, W.
Where the Kawhi critics?
Danny Green and Manu Ginobili each added three three-pointers of their own (welcome back to the Tarheel Triple, Danny!). Combined with more fouls on Memphis in the fourth quarter and a few timely rejections when “Vinsanity” tried to rear its head, courtesy of Vince Carter, the Spurs came back and took Game 3, 96-87.
And along the way, this happened:
With the win tonight, Tim Duncan now has 154 playoff wins (tying Kareem for 3rd all-time). He needs 8 wins to become 1st all-time,
— Paul Garcia (@PaulGarciaNBA) April 23, 2016
The Spurs have a chance to sweep this round on Sunday, though I woulnt’t be surprised if the Grizz scratched out a win, for pride’s sake. It doesn’t matter either way, as a Game 5 would be back in San Antonio.
Still, the more rest the Spurs can get before the second round — where they’ll probably face the Oklahoma City Thunder — the better. Especially since Russell Westbrook plays like a Jack Russell Terrier on No-Doz, chased with Red Bull.
More hoops habit: 2016 NBA Playoffs: Each Team's Week 1 MVP
Thank you, Spurs, for starting my birthday off right. See you on Sunday.