As Randy Newman sang long ago, "I Love L.A." Every time I've been out there, I've had a blast. Love the weather, love the scenery, love the ocean.
Anyway, I digress. Friday night, two team with different playoff aspirations. Memphis is still tracking a top-4 seed. With Denver's Gallinari suffering a possible torn ACL Thursday night, maybe that team is diminished just a bit.
Foot-stomper - in no way do I wish harm to anyone, pro athlete or not. Additionally, I'm not sitting here rejoicing that "their guy got hurt, so it makes it better for my team". But, the truth can't be ignored. Gallinari is one of Denver's better players, and his injury does weaken his team somewhat. It may be a factor going down the stretch.
Back to the match-up between Memphis and L.A. The Lakers have Kobe Bryant. Given that, they can beat anyone on a particular night. The Lakers have won their last two games, and averaged 106 PPG in their last five games. In Tuesday night's home win over Dallas, Kobe "messed around and got a triple double" - 23 points, 11 rebs and 11 assists. Ok, I'll state the obvious - he's one of the top 10 or so best players in NBA history. If the team around him is productive Friday night, they will beat the Grizzlies. In that same Dallas game, Dwight Howard went for 24 and 12 rebs, while Pau Gasol added 14, 10 rebs and 6 assists. Earl Clark came off the bench to add 17 and 12 rebs. Looking at that box score, Memphis' bigs have a lot of work ahead of them in this contest.
I suspect Prince checks Kobe, Marc Gasol checks Howard, and Randolph checks Pau Gasol. Kobe is gonna get his early and often, so Tony Allen may switch off on Kobe from time to time. Howard is much more athletic than Marc Gasol, but he can be foul-prone. Will Howard try to chase Marc Gasol off that 15-foot set shot? Will Marc Gasol use that set shot to set up drives to the basket?
Is Randolph willing to chase Pau around? Like his brother, Pau Gasol will take a 15-foot set shot to set up later drives to the basket. Will Pau get Randolph in early foul trouble?
Howard/Pau are quicker than Randolph/Marc. How does that play out in this particular game? I'm interested in watching that aspect.
The Lakers only played three bench players against Dallas, so Memphis' bench (on paper) seems to have the advantage. Arthur, Bayless and Pondexter must hit shots when opportunities are there. More importantly, if any of them have an off-night shooting, they can't pout while playing defense.
This is a game where Memphis needs contributions from the whole rotation. Any weak link will get exposed.
In early March, when the Lakers were foundering, I guessed a Memphis win. Now, the Lakers have righted their ship a bit. I hate to admit it regarding my team, but I don't think Memphis is gonna win.
My guess (now), Lakers 105, Memphis 98. Kobe is gonna put on a show, especially on offense. Howard is gonna be productive, grinning all the way. The Memphis bench will be somewhat productive, but too many missed jump shots by Bayless and Pondexter will prove to be the Grizzlies' downfall.
After the Game: Lakers 86, Memphis 84. Memphis had chances to tie late, but couldn't quite get over the hump. In the last 90 seconds, the Lakers got offensive rebounds after twice milking the shot clock. Los Angeles ended up possessing the ball for nearly 60 consecutive of that last 90 seconds. That hurt.
Memphis had 38 field goals, 24 assists, 7 turnovers and 12 steals. Conley led the team with 21 points and 6 assists. Randolph had 15 and 7 rebs. Bayless had 14 and 6 assists, after a slow start shooting.
Between injuries (Nash, World Peace) and coaching decisions, Los Angeles only played seven guys. All seven contributed. Kobe did what Kobe usually does, 24 points, 5 rebs and 9 assists. Pau Gasol had 19 and 9 rebs. Antawn Jamison and Earl Clark came off the bench to contribute 13 points and 5 rebs each.
It was a game filled with ebbs and flows. Los Angeles established a good lead in the first half (up to 11 points), but Memphis was persistent in fighting back. Even in the end, Memphis had a shot to tie. Conley drove from the right wing, encountered Dwight Howard (who gave him a bit of a bump) and missed the shot. Did Howard foul Conley? Maybe. Did the referees call it? No.
One difference was free throw shooting. Los Angeles was 13/18 FT/A, while Memphis was 5/7 from the line. Memphis announcers expressed frustration at this disparity during the game, but it seems to happen at nearly every level. Home teams get more free throw attempts most games, right?
This was one more game that got away from Memphis. Sunday night, the Grizzlies play at Sacramento, which could be another game that gets away from them if they aren't careful.
Friday, April 5, 2013
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
13 April Battle of the Bands in the Springs
If you're in/near Colorado Springs, an all-day band fest is going on 13 April. Local bands will play at Will's Sports Pub, 424 South Nevada, from noon until all bands are done. I hear it's an outdoor setup, which should be nice on a spring Saturday afternoon.
I heard up to 18 (eighteen) bands are on the bill. Two of my favorite local bands, FOSTER and War Parts, are scheduled to play. Tickets are $15, and for students with ID the tickets are $10 each.
Winning band gets $500. I may attempt to record a song or two for posting here. More to follow.
Wherever you live, support your local bands & your local music scene. Catch the next big thing, as the musicians pay their dues & hone their chops.
I heard up to 18 (eighteen) bands are on the bill. Two of my favorite local bands, FOSTER and War Parts, are scheduled to play. Tickets are $15, and for students with ID the tickets are $10 each.
Winning band gets $500. I may attempt to record a song or two for posting here. More to follow.
Wherever you live, support your local bands & your local music scene. Catch the next big thing, as the musicians pay their dues & hone their chops.
My Team - Grizzlies at Portland
The Grizzlies crossed the 50-win mark at home Monday night against a depleted San Antonio bunch. The same night, Portland lost by 10 points at Utah. The Trailblazers have lost their last five games, and look to get well at home Wednesday night. Portland has eight games remaining, and must win all eight to finish at .500 for the season. So, they have motivation. Aldridge has a sprained right ankle, and was inactive against the Jazz.
Portland will bring more Damian Lillard against the Grizzlies. Look for Lillard to take shots early in the shot clock, pulling up on the break, and when he tries to run the pick-and-roll. Conley and Bayless (off the bench) must stay alert offensively. Wesley Matthews, Nicolas Batum and Eric Maynor (off the bench) will also look to assert themselves offensively. Memphis' wing players must start the game with a high energy level to make Portland's wings use a lot of effort getting off those shots.
Gasol, Randolph, Arthur and Davis should have the advantage in experience over Meyers Leonard, J.J. Hickson, Victor Claver and Joel Freeland. Leonard (7-1), Claver (6-10) and Freeland (6-11) are big bodies, but all are rookies. Will Gasol and Randolph get calls against the young Portland post players? Or, will the referees allow the rookies to bang around Memphis' post players with impunity? A younger, more sprightly Randolph would have a field day against these young 'uns. Today's Z-Bo? We'll see.
My guess: Memphis 97, Portland 94. Guards are gonna jack up lots of shots in this one. If you like seeing outside shooting, you will get lots of it tonight. Post players may be fussing in time-out huddles about not getting touches, but it probably won't change a lot.
As always, my guesses are just that. They're not for gaming purposes. They're not even for pranks. They're just for my own entertainment.
After the Game: Memphis 94, Portland 76. Portland was missing Aldridge and Batum. At one point, the Trailblazers had five rookies on the floor. To their credit, the Portland fans didn't bail on their team, but the energy was sucked out of the building. It's tough to be that type of team, playing out the schedule.
Memphis had 34 field goals, 27 assists, 12 turnovers and 10 steals. Conley scored 20 and added 5 assists. Randolph scored 17 with 8 rebs, and Allen scored 14 with 5 steals. New signee Keyon Dooling got 2 minutes at the end of the game. Memphis had 28 free throws (22 made), versus only 10 (6 made) for the Trailblazers.
Portland had 33 field goals, 21 assists, 16 turnovers and 5 steals. Lillard had 17 points and 6 assists, but 5 turnovers. J.J. Hickson had 17 points, 9 rebs. Their lack of experience & lack of depth was too much to overcome. They do have a bright future, with all the young post players on the roster. A year or two of constant experience, and these guys are gonna be a beast of a team.
Memphis led 32-21 at the end of the first quarter, and the teams went back & forth after that.
The Grizzlies notched their franchise-record 51st win of the season. By that measure, this team is the best Memphis Grizzlies' team ever. Since the Rudy Gay trade, the team is 22-8 (9-2 in February, 11-6 in March, 2-0 in April). Maybe the trade wasn't a surrender after all...?
Next, Memphis has two road match-ups: the Lakers (Friday night in LA), and Sacramento (Sunday night). Seven regular seasons left, so Memphis needs to continue fine-tuning things for the upcoming playoffs.
Portland will bring more Damian Lillard against the Grizzlies. Look for Lillard to take shots early in the shot clock, pulling up on the break, and when he tries to run the pick-and-roll. Conley and Bayless (off the bench) must stay alert offensively. Wesley Matthews, Nicolas Batum and Eric Maynor (off the bench) will also look to assert themselves offensively. Memphis' wing players must start the game with a high energy level to make Portland's wings use a lot of effort getting off those shots.
Gasol, Randolph, Arthur and Davis should have the advantage in experience over Meyers Leonard, J.J. Hickson, Victor Claver and Joel Freeland. Leonard (7-1), Claver (6-10) and Freeland (6-11) are big bodies, but all are rookies. Will Gasol and Randolph get calls against the young Portland post players? Or, will the referees allow the rookies to bang around Memphis' post players with impunity? A younger, more sprightly Randolph would have a field day against these young 'uns. Today's Z-Bo? We'll see.
My guess: Memphis 97, Portland 94. Guards are gonna jack up lots of shots in this one. If you like seeing outside shooting, you will get lots of it tonight. Post players may be fussing in time-out huddles about not getting touches, but it probably won't change a lot.
As always, my guesses are just that. They're not for gaming purposes. They're not even for pranks. They're just for my own entertainment.
After the Game: Memphis 94, Portland 76. Portland was missing Aldridge and Batum. At one point, the Trailblazers had five rookies on the floor. To their credit, the Portland fans didn't bail on their team, but the energy was sucked out of the building. It's tough to be that type of team, playing out the schedule.
Memphis had 34 field goals, 27 assists, 12 turnovers and 10 steals. Conley scored 20 and added 5 assists. Randolph scored 17 with 8 rebs, and Allen scored 14 with 5 steals. New signee Keyon Dooling got 2 minutes at the end of the game. Memphis had 28 free throws (22 made), versus only 10 (6 made) for the Trailblazers.
Portland had 33 field goals, 21 assists, 16 turnovers and 5 steals. Lillard had 17 points and 6 assists, but 5 turnovers. J.J. Hickson had 17 points, 9 rebs. Their lack of experience & lack of depth was too much to overcome. They do have a bright future, with all the young post players on the roster. A year or two of constant experience, and these guys are gonna be a beast of a team.
Memphis led 32-21 at the end of the first quarter, and the teams went back & forth after that.
The Grizzlies notched their franchise-record 51st win of the season. By that measure, this team is the best Memphis Grizzlies' team ever. Since the Rudy Gay trade, the team is 22-8 (9-2 in February, 11-6 in March, 2-0 in April). Maybe the trade wasn't a surrender after all...?
Next, Memphis has two road match-ups: the Lakers (Friday night in LA), and Sacramento (Sunday night). Seven regular seasons left, so Memphis needs to continue fine-tuning things for the upcoming playoffs.
Did You Vote Tuesday?
As the Brothers of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated say, "a voteless people is a hopeless people". After all my forebears went through to secure & insure my right to vote, I strive to never miss an election. Regardless if whether or not my view is the majority, whether or not my candidate wins, my voice will be heard.
Tuesday was the date for the local municipal elections. City council seats were up for vote, as well as two proposals requesting funds from the populace:
As usual, the people have spoken. One proposal that irked me was "Issue 2". Essentially, the local City Council makes $6,250 per council member per year at present. Yeah, it's not much. Yeah, they work on Council issues "part time". It is a substantial amount of work, however. The folk who do it well are worth more than $6,250 yearly. I get it.
What irked me was the wording of the issue on the ballot. The phrase "one half of the salary of the mayor" was used to determine the amount of the raise. For this date, the new council salary would increase to $48,000 with passage of Issue 2. There was no public disclosure of how that formula was conceived. It could have been a "Wild Audit Guess", for all we know.
Even the mayor didn't support the proposal in its' current form. The mayor felt the potential raise "should be addressed as part of a larger review of the city charter". A politician being reasonable regarding citizens' dollars? To me, it's was a refreshing surprise.
I am not opposed to the idea of city council folks getting a raise. I was opposed to the open-ended phrasing of the proposal. If those in power wanted each council member to make $48K a year, why not include that exact phrase in the ballot proposal? It would have clarified the issue, and maybe gotten more support.
In this age of nebulous, misleading statements, our local ballot writers/issue describers did the process a disservice. Do better next time. Write clearer next time. Get to the point, and maybe next time I'll support your proposal.
Tuesday was the date for the local municipal elections. City council seats were up for vote, as well as two proposals requesting funds from the populace:
As usual, the people have spoken. One proposal that irked me was "Issue 2". Essentially, the local City Council makes $6,250 per council member per year at present. Yeah, it's not much. Yeah, they work on Council issues "part time". It is a substantial amount of work, however. The folk who do it well are worth more than $6,250 yearly. I get it.
What irked me was the wording of the issue on the ballot. The phrase "one half of the salary of the mayor" was used to determine the amount of the raise. For this date, the new council salary would increase to $48,000 with passage of Issue 2. There was no public disclosure of how that formula was conceived. It could have been a "Wild Audit Guess", for all we know.
Even the mayor didn't support the proposal in its' current form. The mayor felt the potential raise "should be addressed as part of a larger review of the city charter". A politician being reasonable regarding citizens' dollars? To me, it's was a refreshing surprise.
I am not opposed to the idea of city council folks getting a raise. I was opposed to the open-ended phrasing of the proposal. If those in power wanted each council member to make $48K a year, why not include that exact phrase in the ballot proposal? It would have clarified the issue, and maybe gotten more support.
In this age of nebulous, misleading statements, our local ballot writers/issue describers did the process a disservice. Do better next time. Write clearer next time. Get to the point, and maybe next time I'll support your proposal.
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
In Dreams - "Kobe, You're Invited"
I was at the Los Angeles Lakers' practice facility in El Segundo, California. Laker practice had just ended, and I was there in some unknown capacity (not a player, though). I was familiar with everyone in the Laker organization, so my being there wasn't a problem. In fact, I was welcomed warmly, as if I was an asset to the organization.
Someone known by us all was preparing to get married. The groom was much admired, so all of us would want to attend if possible. I was carrying the news throughout the building. The dilemma was a limited number of wedding invitations. Everyone associated with the Lakers wouldn't be invited.
As I walked into one of the practice gyms, I encountered three people sitting around a table: Pau Gasol, former Laker player Happy Hairston and Kobe Bryant. I was directed to carry the news to the three men at the table. Pau was invited, Happy was not. There was some back and forth about Kobe (because of his fame - his attending could be a huge distraction).
I told each guy about his attendance status. Pau was relieved. Happy accepted the news calmly. Kobe smugly sat at the table expecting to be invited. But when I confirmed that fact, he sincerely seemed happy to be a part of the wedding party. He promptly started offering suggestions on what the wedding party should do. He was a lot more personable than his reputation suggests.
Someone known by us all was preparing to get married. The groom was much admired, so all of us would want to attend if possible. I was carrying the news throughout the building. The dilemma was a limited number of wedding invitations. Everyone associated with the Lakers wouldn't be invited.
As I walked into one of the practice gyms, I encountered three people sitting around a table: Pau Gasol, former Laker player Happy Hairston and Kobe Bryant. I was directed to carry the news to the three men at the table. Pau was invited, Happy was not. There was some back and forth about Kobe (because of his fame - his attending could be a huge distraction).
I told each guy about his attendance status. Pau was relieved. Happy accepted the news calmly. Kobe smugly sat at the table expecting to be invited. But when I confirmed that fact, he sincerely seemed happy to be a part of the wedding party. He promptly started offering suggestions on what the wedding party should do. He was a lot more personable than his reputation suggests.
Monday, April 1, 2013
Old Dude, Old Movies - "He Who Gets Slapped"
Lon Chaney was one of the best.
Chaney, who was born 1 April 1883 in Colorado Springs, was one of the most versatile actors ever. He is known for roles in horror films like "The Monster", "The Phantom of the Opera" and "The Unholy Three".
Other roles, like in "Quasimodo" and "He Who Gets Slapped" aren't horror in the classic sense, but are more pathos-driven. When you watch what he goes through, you can't help but wonder "what would I do if that was me?"
In "He Who Gets Slapped", Chaney plays Paul Beaumont. Paul is a scientist, grinding away at his research in a lonely laboratory. Money is tight, so he takes on a benefactor (Baron Regnard, by Marc McDermott) who offers financial support. The two are shown as friends, but the Baron is more interested in Paul's alluring wife Maria (Ruth King) and the glory to be derived from Paul's work.
Soon the day comes when Paul feels his work is ready for academic review. If successful, Paul will be rich and influential. However, the Baron betrays Paul, with an assist from Marie. It seems Marie and the Baron are in the midst of a torrid affair, and Marie provides the means for the Baron to undermine Paul's work. Paul is left a broken man, a man without hope. He walks away from science and his previous life. Then, the pathos gets turned up another notch.
Paul joins a circus as the titular character. The pain of getting slapped continually distracts him from the pain of his loss. In this new environment, he meets Consuelo (the angelic Norma Shearer), another performer in the same circus. Would Paul dare love again? What of the dashing Bezano (portrayed by a young John Gilbert)? Is Bezano a rival for Consuelo's affection? As if this isn't enough, the Baron shows up in Paul's life again.
This 1924 release, based on a Russian play by Leonid Andreyev, was the first to feature the iconic lion as the mascot of the newly-merged Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios.
Like so many of Chaney's silent films, the pictures are so vivid and striking. Life in that era was harsh and unforgiving, and the movies reflect that. Happy endings were hard to come by. For many stories told on film in that time, it seemed the best one could hope for was surviving the hardship and heartbreak. There were no "winners", as in the present-day cinematic sense.
I find myself getting more into the world of classic silent film as an antidote to the bathroom humor, car chases and explosions that seem to dominate today's movie product. This movie won't leave you smiling, but it will make you think if you let it.
Chaney, who was born 1 April 1883 in Colorado Springs, was one of the most versatile actors ever. He is known for roles in horror films like "The Monster", "The Phantom of the Opera" and "The Unholy Three".
Other roles, like in "Quasimodo" and "He Who Gets Slapped" aren't horror in the classic sense, but are more pathos-driven. When you watch what he goes through, you can't help but wonder "what would I do if that was me?"
In "He Who Gets Slapped", Chaney plays Paul Beaumont. Paul is a scientist, grinding away at his research in a lonely laboratory. Money is tight, so he takes on a benefactor (Baron Regnard, by Marc McDermott) who offers financial support. The two are shown as friends, but the Baron is more interested in Paul's alluring wife Maria (Ruth King) and the glory to be derived from Paul's work.
Soon the day comes when Paul feels his work is ready for academic review. If successful, Paul will be rich and influential. However, the Baron betrays Paul, with an assist from Marie. It seems Marie and the Baron are in the midst of a torrid affair, and Marie provides the means for the Baron to undermine Paul's work. Paul is left a broken man, a man without hope. He walks away from science and his previous life. Then, the pathos gets turned up another notch.
Paul joins a circus as the titular character. The pain of getting slapped continually distracts him from the pain of his loss. In this new environment, he meets Consuelo (the angelic Norma Shearer), another performer in the same circus. Would Paul dare love again? What of the dashing Bezano (portrayed by a young John Gilbert)? Is Bezano a rival for Consuelo's affection? As if this isn't enough, the Baron shows up in Paul's life again.
This 1924 release, based on a Russian play by Leonid Andreyev, was the first to feature the iconic lion as the mascot of the newly-merged Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios.
Like so many of Chaney's silent films, the pictures are so vivid and striking. Life in that era was harsh and unforgiving, and the movies reflect that. Happy endings were hard to come by. For many stories told on film in that time, it seemed the best one could hope for was surviving the hardship and heartbreak. There were no "winners", as in the present-day cinematic sense.
I find myself getting more into the world of classic silent film as an antidote to the bathroom humor, car chases and explosions that seem to dominate today's movie product. This movie won't leave you smiling, but it will make you think if you let it.
My Team - Grizzlies versus Spurs
Easter Sunday night, the Spurs lost at home to the defending champion Heat, on a late 3-point basket by Chris Bosh. Miami's lineup missed Mario Chalmers, Dwyane Wade and this James guy. San Antonio didn't have the services of Manu Ginobli.
Ginobli is still dealing with a strained right hamstring. The Spurs being the Spurs, they find ways to plug other productive guys in the lineup. Coach Gregg Popovich is one of the few coaches in the Association who can expect consistent execution and teamwork from his roster. For basketball purists who like watching five guys working in concert, the Spurs are a joy to watch.
One thing that jumps out at me is how they play heads-up offense. Regardless of the set, you rarely see an offensive player dribbling mindlessly with his back to his teammates. The Spurs share the ball, they pass the ball, and they make opposing defenses work. Against Miami, they had 26 assists on 35 field goals.
Looking further at the Miami box score, a couple of things caught my eye. One, each of the Spurs' starting front court had double figure rebounds (and each had at least 3 offensive rebounds). Two, four of the five starters had between 13 and 15 field goal attempts. Looks to me like guys are making effort on both ends AND sharing the basketball.
Here's my rant about the NBA - I hate the "first option/supporting cast" mentality in the Association. When your so-called first option is missing shots on a particular night, and keeps shooting, are you going to win? Can your first option help the team win in other ways? Are the supporting cast guys just standing around, watching the first option dribble the shot clock away?
I love how the Spurs go about their business.
Monday in Memphis, these teams match up again, in what (for Memphis fans at least), is looked at as a rivalry. I don't think the Spurs see it the same way, but there you have it. Memphis fans still remember the first round of the 2011 playoffs, where the eighth-seeded Grizzlies took down the top seed Spurs in six games. Since then, Memphis fans a) respect the fact that San Antonio is a consistently excellent team, and 2) Memphis matches up well with the Spurs.
For this game, Memphis must account for each Spur on each end in half-court situations and in transition. The Grizzlies must focus for all forty-eight minutes. The home fans will be fired up for this one, but emotion can only take you so far, especially late in the regular season.
My guess: San Antonio 92, Memphis 90. There will be screaming and foot-stomping at FedEx Forum. Both teams will trade runs, trade leads and trade funny faces (Tim Duncan and Marc Gasol are both notorious for incredulous expressions towards referees for perceived slights). It should be fun to watch, closely-contested from start to finish, but it will come down to late-game execution. If Bayless is on the floor in the last two minutes of regulation, he will either take an ill-advised shot or make a careless ball-handling mistake that will allow San Antonio to escape with a close road victory.
As always, my guess work isn't for gaming or April's Fools silliness, but for personal entertainment.
After the Game: (Disclosure: I had to pick up a friend from the airport, so I didn't see the game. Saw a few highlights, and looked at the box score.)
Memphis 92, San Antonio 90. Conley hit a layup with 0.6 for the winning basket. Tony Parker attempted a shot, but the release came after the final buzzer.
Memphis had 36 field goals, 15 assists, 10 turnovers and 9 steals. Conley scored 23, with 2 assists and 4 turnovers. Bayless had 17, with 3 assists and 1 turnover. Gasol had 16, 7 rebounds and 4 assists. Eleven guys played, and all contributed. The back court took many shots, and made them. Can they keep up consistent production down the stretch?
It was Memphis' 12 straight home victory, a team record. The Grizzlies also hit the 50-win total for the season. They are percentage points behind Denver for 4th place in conference.
San Antonio had 36 field goals, 21 assists, 16 turnovers and 8 steals. What the Spurs didn't have was Duncan, Ginobli and Leonard (all injured). Any team missing three starters and playing the back end of back-to-backs could expect a dropoff, but San Antonio fought on.
Parker led his team with 25 points, and added 4 assists and 3 turnovers. Tiago Splitter had 13 points and 11 rebounds. Stephen Jackson started for Leonard, and added 12 points.
It was close throughout, and free throws may have been the difference. San Antonio was 10/11 FT/A, but Memphis was 18/24 FT/A.
It was a needed win, as they all are this time of year. Next up for Memphis is a three-game western road trip. The Grizzlies are at Portland (Wednesday night), the Lakers (Friday night) and Sacramento (Sunday night). Can we say Memphis needs all three wins? We can say it. Can they get them? Let's see, shall we?
Ginobli is still dealing with a strained right hamstring. The Spurs being the Spurs, they find ways to plug other productive guys in the lineup. Coach Gregg Popovich is one of the few coaches in the Association who can expect consistent execution and teamwork from his roster. For basketball purists who like watching five guys working in concert, the Spurs are a joy to watch.
One thing that jumps out at me is how they play heads-up offense. Regardless of the set, you rarely see an offensive player dribbling mindlessly with his back to his teammates. The Spurs share the ball, they pass the ball, and they make opposing defenses work. Against Miami, they had 26 assists on 35 field goals.
Looking further at the Miami box score, a couple of things caught my eye. One, each of the Spurs' starting front court had double figure rebounds (and each had at least 3 offensive rebounds). Two, four of the five starters had between 13 and 15 field goal attempts. Looks to me like guys are making effort on both ends AND sharing the basketball.
Here's my rant about the NBA - I hate the "first option/supporting cast" mentality in the Association. When your so-called first option is missing shots on a particular night, and keeps shooting, are you going to win? Can your first option help the team win in other ways? Are the supporting cast guys just standing around, watching the first option dribble the shot clock away?
I love how the Spurs go about their business.
Monday in Memphis, these teams match up again, in what (for Memphis fans at least), is looked at as a rivalry. I don't think the Spurs see it the same way, but there you have it. Memphis fans still remember the first round of the 2011 playoffs, where the eighth-seeded Grizzlies took down the top seed Spurs in six games. Since then, Memphis fans a) respect the fact that San Antonio is a consistently excellent team, and 2) Memphis matches up well with the Spurs.
For this game, Memphis must account for each Spur on each end in half-court situations and in transition. The Grizzlies must focus for all forty-eight minutes. The home fans will be fired up for this one, but emotion can only take you so far, especially late in the regular season.
My guess: San Antonio 92, Memphis 90. There will be screaming and foot-stomping at FedEx Forum. Both teams will trade runs, trade leads and trade funny faces (Tim Duncan and Marc Gasol are both notorious for incredulous expressions towards referees for perceived slights). It should be fun to watch, closely-contested from start to finish, but it will come down to late-game execution. If Bayless is on the floor in the last two minutes of regulation, he will either take an ill-advised shot or make a careless ball-handling mistake that will allow San Antonio to escape with a close road victory.
As always, my guess work isn't for gaming or April's Fools silliness, but for personal entertainment.
After the Game: (Disclosure: I had to pick up a friend from the airport, so I didn't see the game. Saw a few highlights, and looked at the box score.)
Memphis 92, San Antonio 90. Conley hit a layup with 0.6 for the winning basket. Tony Parker attempted a shot, but the release came after the final buzzer.
Memphis had 36 field goals, 15 assists, 10 turnovers and 9 steals. Conley scored 23, with 2 assists and 4 turnovers. Bayless had 17, with 3 assists and 1 turnover. Gasol had 16, 7 rebounds and 4 assists. Eleven guys played, and all contributed. The back court took many shots, and made them. Can they keep up consistent production down the stretch?
It was Memphis' 12 straight home victory, a team record. The Grizzlies also hit the 50-win total for the season. They are percentage points behind Denver for 4th place in conference.
San Antonio had 36 field goals, 21 assists, 16 turnovers and 8 steals. What the Spurs didn't have was Duncan, Ginobli and Leonard (all injured). Any team missing three starters and playing the back end of back-to-backs could expect a dropoff, but San Antonio fought on.
Parker led his team with 25 points, and added 4 assists and 3 turnovers. Tiago Splitter had 13 points and 11 rebounds. Stephen Jackson started for Leonard, and added 12 points.
It was close throughout, and free throws may have been the difference. San Antonio was 10/11 FT/A, but Memphis was 18/24 FT/A.
It was a needed win, as they all are this time of year. Next up for Memphis is a three-game western road trip. The Grizzlies are at Portland (Wednesday night), the Lakers (Friday night) and Sacramento (Sunday night). Can we say Memphis needs all three wins? We can say it. Can they get them? Let's see, shall we?
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