NBA Playoffs: Memphis Grizzlies clinch 7-seed, will face the Spurs in Round 1

With the NBA Playoffs around the corner, the final regular season games are helping determine the seedings and playoff matchups. With the Memphis Grizzlies’ win tonight, they clinch the 7-seed in the west and will play the San Antonio Spurs in Round 1.

The Memphis Grizzlies took the court Friday night against the Knicks with a chance to clinch the 7-seed and secure a playoff spot. The Grizzlies made no sweat of it, as they led for most of the night and a big fourth quarter helped pull them away. Led by 31 points from PG Mike Conley, the Grizzlies were able to beat the Knicks on their home floor.

The win helped get Memphis to a 43-37 record, locking up the 7-seed in the process. Earlier in the week, the San Antonio Spurs were locked into the 2-seed, this after the Warriors clinched the top spot in the conference.

The Spurs-Grizzlies first round series will be an interior battle. The Grizzlies will lean on Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph, while the Spurs will utilize their depth in LaMarcus Aldridge, Dewayne Dedmon, Pau Gasol and David Lee.

During the regular season, the Grizzlies had four matchups with the Spurs, with the home team winning every game so far and splitting the season series. All of the games have been defensive battles thus far, with only the Spurs scoring over 100 points in one of the games.

The best matchup in this series will definitely feature the point guards, Tony Parker and Mike Conley going at each other.

Physicality and defense will be the keys to the series and it’ll also be fascinating to watch Gregg Popovich take on rookie head coach Dave Fizdale.

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My early predictions would be that the San Antonio Spurs win in six games; I wouldn’t be surprised if the blue-collar Grizzlies push the series to its’ limit.