Spurs learning lessons against Memphis that could help in future

SAN ANTONIO -- The city Spurs designed yet one more blowout of the Memphis Grizzlies in Game a pair of of the Western Conference playoffs, landscaper the guests 94-68 Tuesday to become simply the third team in NBA postseason history to win every of its initial 2 contests by twenty five points or a lot of.

Yet Spurs coach Gregg Popovich appeared unhappy.

Is it honest to mention you’re not really affected with however your team has vie offensively?

"That would be honest," Popovich same.

Can you elaborate on what your guys have done or not done?

"They turned it over ... too much. That’s simply a reality."

Playing against associate short-staffed Memphis club decimated by injuries, the Spurs had nineteen turnovers, the foremost they've coughed the bollocks since March five, after they had twenty one turnovers during a persuade the state capital Kings. Memphis' injury state of affairs somewhat hides the very fact it plays a aggressive, tumultuous complete of defense that the Spurs believe can offer learning opportunities for the later rounds.

Memphis contested  sixty four p.c of San Antonio’s shots, and therefore the Spurs connected on simply seventeen of forty two on such makes an attempt whereas touching four of nine from 3-point vary on such shots.

"This series is all concerning obtaining through their physical defense; cutting laborious and spending laborious and shooting uncontested  shots," same Patty Mills, WHO scored a game-high sixteen points, touching four of half-dozen from 3-point vary. "That's attending to be the largest issue for USA throughout the period of the series, particularly at their place. we'd like to shoot uncontested  shots, and therefore the a lot of of these we have a tendency to shoot, i believe the good shooters that we've square measure attending to create them. it is a infant, however the higher we have a tendency to move the ball and therefore the a lot of open shots we have a tendency to get, definitely, guys will knock them down."

Still, the Spurs square measure learning that’s somewhat of a troublesome proposition, even against associate injury-ravaged opponent. The Grizzlies dressed associate NBA-record twenty eight players throughout the regular season, losing electro-acoustic transducer Conley to associate mythical being issue and brandy Gasol to a broken right foot. Memphis entered the playoffs having won simply 3 of its final seventeen games.

Naturally, the belief was that a 67-win squad just like the Spurs would create fast work of the Grizzlies. that is happening, however city definitely isn’t tallying several vogue points whereas doing therefore.

Combine Memphis' aggressive defensive vogue and a few of the circumstances relating to San Antonio's journey into the playoffs, and a few of the problems we’re seeing manifested during this series create many sense.

Obviously, the Spurs started resting players close to the top of March, after they clenched a minimum of the No. a pair of seed within the postseason. throughout that point, the Spurs worked to implement new players like Kevin Martin and Andre Miller to the club’s system. That semiconductor diode to lineup switches and a scarcity of familiarity between all the obtainable players WHO weren't resting.

Then, toward the top of the regular season, Popovich determined the remainder break was over, and it had been time to start out catching a groove.

San Antonio remains in search of that groove because the team's march toward the postseason was additionally sophisticated by injuries to LaMarcus Aldridge and Boris Diaw.

"We look into it because the past four weeks, we have a tendency to were attempting to induce guys adjusted to the system, and guys were resting," same Martin, WHO finished with ten points on 3-of-4 shooting. "So this can be our time to start out to search out a groove because the playoffs go."

San Antonio definitely cannot afford to waste time, with a possible match-up on the horizon against the third-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder. It's expected the Spurs can complete a four-game sweep of the Grizzlies on Sunday in Memphis.

"They're gonna play physical, and they are gonna hold and grab," same purpose guard Tony Parker once evaluation six points and dishing four assists. "They had some nice steals. we have a tendency to simply have to be compelled to ensure we have a tendency to lookout of the shock there as a result of over there, obviously, it's attending to be lots of fast-break points. we do not need to provide them confidence like that. [We have to] keep centered. it is the playoffs, respect the opponent as a result of we all know over there it's gonna be lots more durable."

San Antonio combated Memphis' defensive pressure with many stopping power of its own. The Spurs contested  seventy seven p.c of Memphis' shots, and therefore the Grizzlies reborn simply nineteen of sixty six, missing all seven of their contested  3-point makes an attempt.

Memphis' sixty eight points were the fourth-fewest allowed during a game for the Spurs and therefore the fewest ever for the Grizzlies within the postseason. Memphis is 0-16 once evaluation eighty six points or fewer within the postseason, with six of these losses returning courtesy of the Spurs.

Still, {san associatetonio|San Antonio|city|metropolis|urban center} maintains that staying driven and centered against such an injury-ravaged Grizzlies squad will not be a retardant because the series moves to Memphis, starting with Friday's contest at the FedEx Forum.

But betray Defensive Player of the Year Kawhi Elmore John Leonard did acknowledge that it's attainable to lose the main target long enough for Memphis to become a retardant for the Spurs.

"Yeah, however that is the issue you have to fight," same Elmore John Leonard, WHO scored thirteen points to travel with a combine of steals and a blocked shot. "We've still have to be compelled to execute. we have a tendency to turned over the ball lots these days. they are physical, and that they have nice hands. however this can be still a chance for USA to enhance. they are still associate NBA team."