Marc Gasol hits game-winner in OT vs. Spurs: 3 takeaways from Game 4

The Memphis Grizzlies survived an overtime thriller Saturday against the San Antonio Spurs winning 110-108  to tie the series 2-2.

The Memphis Grizzlies were resilient Saturday and came out on top earning a gritty win against the No. 2 San Antonio Spurs on a Marc Gasol buzzer-beater in overtime.

After a blowout win in Game 3 that saw Head Coach Greg Popovich sit his starters for much of the fourth, Memphis fought off heroic efforts from Kawhi Leonard to secure at least six games for the first round.

Another shakeup in the lineup for the Grizzlies, Coach Fizdale utilized James Ennis III late in crunch time to man Kawhi Leonard. Fizdale also relied on youngsters(former D-League players) Troy Daniels, JaMychal Green and Andrew Harrison for big minutes in the fourth and overtime to seal the win.

 Takeaways

Mike Conley vs. Kawhi Leonard: A heavyweight bout inside of a heavyweight bout, the back-and-forth between Conley and Leonard was a masterpiece. You had the two-way phenomenon that is Kawhi Leonard handle each blow that the Grizzlies threw for 44 minutes going on to score 43 points knocking down 7-for-10 from 3. There was the underdog in Mike Conley that battled to lead his group despite the odds. Conley would finish with 35 points, connecting on 20-for-36 in his last two games, and adding 6-for-13 from 3 in those 2.

An MVP hopeful, Kawhi Leonard continues to remain unaltered in the biggest of moments. The soft-spoken persona remains, while Leonard continues to be the loudest on the court. Matching play with Leonard is turning into a good thing for Conley. While elevating his play in Games 3 and 4, Conley has the slight edge with the play received from his supporting cast. Game 5 heads back to San Antonio and don’t expect either star to let up in this one.

Frontcourt play: A series that saw LaMarcus Aldridge, Pau Gasol, and sometimes David Lee controlling the paint, Games 3 and 4 have been all Zack Randolph, Marc Gasol, and JaMychal Green. Randolph reinserted into the starting lineup and reverting to earlier days in Memphis is making due of his minutes. With a double-double in Saturday’s win, Randolph continues to play his old-man game out-working his competition. The three big men for Memphis have accounted for 92 points and 47 rebounds in Games 3 and 4 continuing to be physical with Aldridge and Gasol.

For the Spurs, a sporadic Aldridge who has been less than efficient is getting out-rebounded and outplayed by an aging vet in Randolph, an inexperienced player in Green,  and a less than spectacular Gasol this series. With the series now tied 2-2, the Spurs need remarkable performances from everyone not named Leonard or Parker, but especially the disappointing frontcourt.

Danny Green watch: Danny Green in the 2014 NBA Finals was a man possessed, his exceptional shooting from 3 helped the Spurs to a title along with Kawhi Leonard. A career 40 percent three-point shooter, Green has struggled much of the series. Outside of a strong Game 2 performance going four-for-five from 3 hitting on 80 percent, Green has now had his third game going scoreless from 3.

A beneficial piece of the puzzle for the Spurs, Green hitting from downtown helps in stretching the floor. When teams lock in on Kawhi Leonard with double teams and veteran players like Ginobili (scoreless for the series) and Parker become stagnant, Green provides the spark and scoring to carry the load.

If Green doesn’t get it together in a hurry, San Antonio will find themselves exiting early. Game 5 is now-or-never for more than one individual on both sides and could be the deciding factor the rest of this series. You gotta love playoff basketball.

Next: LaMarcus Aldridge throws one down

Game 5 will be Tuesday, April 25(time TBD) back in San Antonio at the AT&T Center.