After coming off a loss to the Charlotte Bobcats last night, the Spurs (24-14) next took on
the Memphis Grizzlies (20-18) in Memphis.
The Grizzlies were currently on a two game winning streak heading into tonight’s game. However, this Grizzlies team has lost six straight against the Spurs prior to tonight’s game. This team is made up of exciting and up and coming NBA players such as O.J. Mayo, Rudy Gay and Marc Gasol. The Grizzlies were 13-5 at home this season and looked to continue their winning ways as they have won eight straight games at home.
The Spurs came in after a loss to the Bobcats. They shot 39% from the field and hoped to find their shooting touch. Tim Duncan struggled in the game going 4-12 for the night but wasn’t the only Spur to struggle. These aren’t the Grizzlies of old and the Spurs should not downplay this opponent.
So how did the Spurs do in Memphis? This is how it went down.
First Quarter:
The Spurs started with Richard Jefferson, Tim Duncan, DeJuan Blair, Tony Parker, and Keith Bogans.
Bogans got things going for the Spurs as he got in the lane for an easy two. He also hit a three for the Spurs. Parker then hit a mid-range shot as the Spurs went up 7-2 early in the quarter. Duncan went aggressive to the rim for an easy two. At the 9:26 point of the game it was 9-2 Spurs with the lead.
Duncan stepped out to hit a jumper for the Spurs, as the Spurs looked much more comfortable shooting from the field unlike last night against the Bobcats. Duncan then schooled Grizzlies’ Marc Gasol and got the “and 1” on Gasol. At the 6:18 point of the quarter it was 18-11, Spurs with the lead.
The Grizzlies continued to claw back in the game as Grizzlies’ Zach Randolph got the offensive board for the put back. Duncan continued to tear apart Marc Gasol as he continue to score against him. Duncan continued to dominate in the quarter as he was also getting it done on the defensive end by blocking shots and rebounding. But Memphis went on a 10-2 run on the Spurs to cut the Spurs lead. Marc Gasol then hit a shot in the lane to tie up the game at 20. But Manu saved the ball from going out of bounds to set up Duncan for an easy bucket. At the 2:15 point it was 22-20, Spurs with the lead.
Mason then hit a corner three for the Spurs and then hit a running jumper. Nice to see Mason in a flow. After the first it was 27-24, Spurs with the lead.
The Spurs shot 60% from the field, 67% from the three-point line, and 33% from the free-thorw line. Spurs were led by Duncan with 13 points. Spurs grabbed 11 rebounds and committed three turnovers.
Second Quarter:
The Spurs started with Mason, Jefferson, Hill, Ratliff, and Ginobili.
Manu hit a three for the Spurs but the Spurs overall were cold from the field early on in the quarter. Ratliff was grabbing rebounds for the Spurs but they could not convert on the extra possessions. At the 8:22 point of the game, it was tied at 32.
Grizzlies Demare Carroll hit the shot to momentarily take the lead for Memphis but Blair 
got the easy two in the lane to tie the score. But Memphis was hitting their shots to get a small lead and at the 5:45 point it was 39-35, Memphis with the lead.
The Spurs could not get anything going on either side of the court. They could not stop the Grizzlies from scoring and were not scoring themselves. The Spurs were just ice-cold from the floor. Nothing was going for the Spurs until Bogans hit a shot in the paint. But he came up hurt, tweaking his ankle. Blair hit a running shot but again the Spurs could not find their shot. But Ginobili hit a three in the remaining minute of the game. However, the Spurs could not get anything going in the quarter. At the half it was 52-42, Memphis with the lead.
At the half the Spurs shot 44% from the field, 50% from the three-point 50%, and 57% form the free-throw line. The Spurs committed nine turnovers and grabbed 20 rebounds. They were led by Duncan with 13 points.
Third Quarter:
The Spurs started with Duncan, Jefferson, Bogans, Parker, and Blair.
The Grizzlies came out like they did in the first half, as O.J. Mayo hit a shot early on in the game. Duncan got the bucket in the paint for the Spurs as the Spurs finally had some aggressiveness and at the 8:49 point of the game it was 54-48, Memphis with the lead.
O.J. Mayo hit a three to stop any momentum the Spurs had going but Blair got inside the paint and hit a shot over Gasol. Grizzlies’ Mike Conley then hit a corner three for Memphis and in the next possession, Tony Parker turned the ball over. Duncan hit a bank shot to keep the Spurs within ten points. But at the 4:52 point of the quarter it was 64-52, Grizzlies with the lead.
Grizzlies’ Rudy Gay then hit a shot in the paint as Memphis took its largest lead of the night at 14 points. Duncan was doing his best to get things going for the Spurs as he picked up the foul and the “and 1” on Marc Gasol. He did not make the free-throw. Manu hit a three for the Spurs. Nothing was going for the Spurs again! 12 turnovers for the Spurs led to 21 points for the Grizzlies in the game so far. Mason hit a long two to cut the Grizzlies lead to eight but O.J. Mayo answered right back for Memphis. At the end of three quarters it was 75-65, Grizzlies with the lead.
After three quarters the Spurs shot 48% from the field, 46% from the three-point line and 50% from the free-throw line. They grabbed 27 rebounds but the Grizzlies grabbed 37. They committed 12 turnovers. Spurs were led by Duncan with 23 points.
Fourth Quarter:
The Spurs started with Ginobili, Hill, Ratliff, Mason and Mahinmi.
The Grizzlies started things off with a basket by Tinsley. Great effort by the Spurs as Manu stole the ball but again they could not convert on the extra possessions. The Spurs could not buy a bucket early on in the quarter. Mason then got a steal for an dunk but at the 9:11 point it was 77-68, Grizzlies with the lead.
The Spurs continued to be cold from the floor while everything was dropping for the Grizzlies. Turnovers continued to be an issue for the Spurs as well as getting out boarded. At the 3:39 point it was 85-76, Grizzlies with the lead.
Mason hit a long two for the Spurs and Bogans hit a lay up to cut the Memphis lead to five. Mason then hit a huge three for the Spurs and at the 1:55 point it was 85-83, 
Memphis with the lead. The Spurs went on an 11-0 run to cut the Memphis lead.
Duncan then got a huge block on Zach Randolph but on the offensive end could not get the ball in the basket. With 41.4 seconds left in the game, Mason hit a long two to cut the Grizzlies lead to 87-86. On the other end, after a scramble for the rebound, Duncan grabbed the ball but Zach Randolph stole the ball from Duncan which led to George Hill fouling Randolph sending him to the line where he hits both free-throws. After a Spurs timeout, the Spurs called the play for Mason and he bricked the corner three. After Bogans missed another three, it was over for the Spurs. Grizzlies made their free-throws, ball game.
Final score Grizzlies 92, Spurs 86. Spurs drop to 24-15 for the season and will next play the New Orleans Hornets on Monday.
Shiny Spur: Tim Duncan
Rusty Spur: Richard Jefferson
Notes:
- Poor defense, turnovers, getting out rebounded and poor effort on both ends of the court doomed the Spurs. Spurs committed 16 turnovers, and got 44 rebounds. Memphis grabbed 51 boards.
- Spurs shot 41% from the field, 33% from the three-point line (7-21), and 58% form the free-throw line.
- The second quarter was something to forget as they only scored 15 points.
- Duncan was getting things done for the Spurs as he finished with 23 points and eight rebounds. Jefferson on the other hand had a terrible night finishing with three points and going 0-6.
- Antonio McDyess did not play tonight due to neck spasms. Parker fell hard during the game and sat out most of the fourth quarter.
- Spurs bench finished with 35 points led by Mason’s 17 points.
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