Spurs dominate at home vs. Grizzlies: 3 takeaways from Game 5
The San Antonio Spurs survived a late Memphis Grizzlies run to win Game 5, 116-103, and take a 3-2 series lead.
The Memphis Grizzlies fought hard but came up short Tuesday in their return to the AT&T Center for Game 5. Dominating the box score and answering the challenge, San Antonio held off a hungry Grizzlies team to set up a series-clinching opportunity in Memphis for Game 6.
Working off of depth and experience, the Spurs were treated to a Manu Ginobili sighting late in the first quarter. Staving off a Memphis run, Ginobili scored eight points early and made his presence felt in this series after a scoreless 0-for-15 showing the previous four games.
Defending with a higher level of intensity in front of the home crowd, the Spurs played with the urgency they were lacking in Memphis. Head Coach Greg Popovich utilized a smaller and faster lineup much of the night to match the pace-and-space problems that Grizzlies’ point guard Mike Conley created in Games 3 and 4.
Takeaways
3-point buckets: The Memphis Grizzlies are not the greatest shooting team and for much of the series it has shown. In Tuesday’s loss, that was completely the opposite, knocking down a surprise 40.9 percent from 3, a barrage that was too much for the Spurs to handle.
The Spurs saw that 40.9 percent and went 14-for-28 in Game 5, their second-highest 3-point percentage of the series outside of a remarkable Game 1 high of 52.6 percent. Kawhi Leonard did his usual thing, but it was Patty Mills (5-for-7) and Manu Ginobili (1-for-2) who decided to come to the party and carry weight with Pau Gasol, Tony Parker, and Leonard. Heading home, Memphis needs more outcomes similar to Game 4 where they held the Spurs to 30 percent and shot 44.4 percent respectively.
Guard Play: Guard play has been up-and-down this series outside of a one-man wrecking crew that is Mike Conley for Memphis. Conley has been consistent throughout the series putting his team on his back, only to be let down twice in San Antonio. Outside of Game 1’s 13-point performance, Conley has scored at least 24 points in all playoff games. Looking for help from his own backcourt, Conley has an aging Vince Carter and an inexperienced Andrew Harrison.
On the other hand for San Antonio, Tony Parker has controlled pace, keeping the Spurs at an efficient tempo, while using his change of direction to keep defenders on their heels. Parker was magnificent in Tuesday’s win against Memphis with another great first half, but it was the Spurs’ de facto point guard of the future, Patty Mills, who did most of the damage.
Having his best game of the series, Mills led the Spurs to victory hitting 7-of-10 from the field and 5-from-7 from behind the 3-point line. Able to lean on Mills alone or alongside Parker, Popovich has always possessed a good problem having the 1-2 punch for the Spurs. Confidence for Mills spells trouble for Memphis.
Coaching: David Fizdale stated, “They’re not gonna come in here and rook us,” but he never said he couldn’t get out-coached. The veteran that is Greg Popovich out-manipulated Fizdale from start to finish in Game 5.
Losing the battle for pace in the last two games, Popovich went to a smaller starting lineup with David Lee to counteract the rebounds lost to Memphis via Zack Randolph on the block. Pop also played Patty Mills and Tony Parker together to add speed alongside Kawhi Leonard. In a defensive shift, Leonard often guarded Conley in an attempt to slow him down In all, the Spurs have made the needed adjustments and the Grizzlies continue to be coaching on the fly.
Fizdale inserting Randolph into the starting lineup has been a big move in this series and the right move, but at the No. 3 spot, David Fizdale continues to struggle to find a matchup for Kawhi Leonard. In a crucial run late in the fourth quarter, the Grizzlies cut the deficit down five and a substitution was made to rest Conley with Andrew Harrison. By the time Conley returned to the game, the Spurs had pushed the lead back to seven led by Patty Mills and dribble penetration.
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While this was a small issue for Memphis tonight, going to the second-year player over the seasoned vet in the NBA Playoffs is a bit of a head-scratcher. Headed back to Memphis and hoping to tie the series, Head Coach David Fizdale has to be more efficient in his rotations to pose a threat to the Spurs and Greg Popovich.