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Spurs race ahead with Grizzlies win
Source: AFP |
May 21, 2013, Tuesday
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THE San Antonio Spurs drained 14 three-pointers in a convincing 105-83 win over the Memphis Grizzlies in Sunday's opening game of the NBA's Western Conference finals.
Tony Parker scored 20 points and handed out nine assists for the Spurs, whose stifling defense held Grizzlies' top scorer Zach Randolph to only two points. Randolph came in averaging 19.7 points per game in this post-season, but finished just 1-of-8 from the field for a Grizzlies team appearing in the conference finals for the first time.
The Spurs, meanwhile, showed the poise to be expected from a team making their eighth appearance in a conference final in the last 15 years. But Parker was mindful of the fact that last year the Spurs took a 2-0 lead over Oklahoma City in the Western finals, only to lose the series to the Thunder.
"We still have a long way to go," Parker said, adding that the Spurs expected Randolph and the Grizzlies to bounce back in Game 2 in San Antonio today. "We tried to make it hard on him, double team, obviously, their best scorer," Parker said of the Spurs' strategy against Randolph.
"He's a beast inside. We know he's not going to play like that every game. Sometimes it happens. It's a long season, the playoffs are tough. So he had an off night, but I know he's going to come out strong in Game 2."
The winners of the series advance to the NBA title series against the Eastern Conference champions.
Reigning NBA title-holder Miami hosts Indiana in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals tomorrow.
Kawhi Leonard and Matt Bonner scored four three-pointers apiece as San Antonio set a club record for three-pointers in a playoff game.
Leonard finished with 18 points, while Bonner scored 12 off the bench and San Antonio handed Memphis its first double-digit loss since Game 1 of the first round against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Tony Parker scored 20 points and handed out nine assists for the Spurs, whose stifling defense held Grizzlies' top scorer Zach Randolph to only two points. Randolph came in averaging 19.7 points per game in this post-season, but finished just 1-of-8 from the field for a Grizzlies team appearing in the conference finals for the first time.
The Spurs, meanwhile, showed the poise to be expected from a team making their eighth appearance in a conference final in the last 15 years. But Parker was mindful of the fact that last year the Spurs took a 2-0 lead over Oklahoma City in the Western finals, only to lose the series to the Thunder.
"We still have a long way to go," Parker said, adding that the Spurs expected Randolph and the Grizzlies to bounce back in Game 2 in San Antonio today. "We tried to make it hard on him, double team, obviously, their best scorer," Parker said of the Spurs' strategy against Randolph.
"He's a beast inside. We know he's not going to play like that every game. Sometimes it happens. It's a long season, the playoffs are tough. So he had an off night, but I know he's going to come out strong in Game 2."
The winners of the series advance to the NBA title series against the Eastern Conference champions.
Reigning NBA title-holder Miami hosts Indiana in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals tomorrow.
Kawhi Leonard and Matt Bonner scored four three-pointers apiece as San Antonio set a club record for three-pointers in a playoff game.
Leonard finished with 18 points, while Bonner scored 12 off the bench and San Antonio handed Memphis its first double-digit loss since Game 1 of the first round against the Los Angeles Clippers.
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