NBA Playoffs: 5 ways Grizzlies can upset Spurs

3) Underdog Role

It’s a narrative as old as competitive sports. Well, actually as old as the Bible, if you consider David vs. Goliath. And in this 2016 retelling of that timeless tale, the Grizzlies are David and the Spurs are Goliath.

San Antonio, to its credit, has earned the reputation of a Goliath. The Spurs have become the model professional sports franchise, building a steady foundation that has competed for championships every season for the last 20 years. They have Duncan, a future Hall of Famer, and Gregg Popovich, one of the preeminent coaches in any professional sport of his generation. Accomplished veterans like Tony Parker and Manu Ginoboli have given way to younger stars like Leonard and Aldridge, and yet the machine just keeps on rolling. It’s the Spurs’ way.

Quite simply, no one is giving the Grizzlies much of a chance in this matchup. The early predictions have shown a consensus of Spurs in four or five games. Maybe six. But no one is calling for the Grizzlies to pull off the upset.

The remaining healthy players Memphis has are still professionals and will no doubt be anxious to prove those predictions false. Coach Dave Joerger is already wisely playing up the underdog angle.

Next: No. 2: Head coaching