Game 3: Spurs at Grizzlies, Friday, 8:30 p.m. It’s been a beating of epic proportions as the Spurs are firing on all cylinders against a Grizzlies team ravaged by injuries that is completely outmatched. LaMarcus Aldridge, assigned to cover Randolph one-on-one, “played excellent defense tonight”, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “We were solid the whole way through and then some shots started falling”. Moreover, the Grizzlies are among the NBA’s elite on the offensive backboards, ranking fifth in offensive rebound percentage at 25.2%.
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Myles Turner, F, Indiana Pacers: Turner and the Pacers surprised the second-seeded Toronto Raptors in Game 1 as they defeated them 100-90 on Saturday.
Memphis, who have now lost all five games they played against the Spurs this season, was held to a season low in points, shot just 39 per cent and went to the free-throw line only six times. No team in the league has a higher assist-to-turnover ratio than San Antonio, which tops the league at 1.95. “If he got in the lane, we tried to make a play I guess, but mostly L.A. gets the credit for doing a fine job on a great player”. San Antonio hit on 42 of its 81 shots (52 per cent), outrebounded the Grizzlies 44-35 and had nine blocked shots to Memphis’ three. He has served as the only daily Griz writer chronicling games, practices, news and player profiles since the team moved to Memphis in 2001. Game 3 isn’t any different than Games 1 and 2. “You know what you need to do to have that energy each and every game”.
“He’s tough and very physical, very skilled down there”, Aldridge said of Randolph, who averaged 15.3 points in the regular season.
Meanwhile, the Spurs are looking to again cruise to a victory in Game 2 after a masterful performance in the season opener.
Nice ball movement leads to a Danny Green 3.
San Antonio puts up an average of 103.6 points per game (ranked 10th).
San Antonio, meanwhile, is resting its starters plenty. He thinks the TNT crew and the Grizzlies would make for a solid series.
That 106-74 loss was the worst playoff loss ever for the Grizzlies.
San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker (9) drives to the basket around Memphis Grizzlies guard Jordan Farmar (4) during Game 2 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series, Tuesday, April 19, 2016, in San Antonio, Texas.
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San Antonio is listed as a consensus 11.5-point road favorite at sportsbooks monitored by Odds Shark and has grown to -100000 to win the series (bet $100,000 to win $100) for those still willing to take that wager.
