Spurs at Grizzlies
THE STORY: An unexpected split in San Antonio has the Memphis Grizzlies thinking upset as they welcome the Spurs to town Saturday night in Game 3 of their Western Conference first-round series. The top-seeded Spurs took charge late in a defensive battle in Game 2, prevailing 93-87 behind 17 points from returning star Manu Ginobili.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, FSTN
ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES: Returning home with a 2-0 lead would have made the Grizzlies much happier, but they'll gladly take a split in Texas against the powerhouse Spurs. Memphis stuck around until the final minute of Game 2 but fell just short, as George Hill buried four free throws in the final moments to put the game away. Sam Young led the way with 17 points, but the Grizzlies needed more from stars Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol. The frontcourt duo managed just 23 points on a combined 7-of-23 shooting performance. Still, with home-court advantage now on the Grizzlies' side, Memphis comes into Game 3 with plenty of confidence after beating San Antonio twice at home in the regular season.
ABOUT THE SPURS: Ginobili clawed his way into the lineup despite a nagging elbow injury that required a heavy black brace. The speedy swingman didn't disappoint, playing his trademark solid defense while making some key shots down the stretch as the Spurs eked out the victory. Tim Duncan, George Hill and Richard Jefferson each added 16 points apiece as San Antonio employed a balanced attack while holding Memphis under 40 percent shooting for the game. The Spurs' next hurdle will be winning a game in Tennessee, where they were outscored by 23 points in two regular-season encounters. Parker missed the 109-93 loss on March 1 with a calf strain; Duncan sat out the March 27 defeat while Ginobili left halfway through.
WHO'S HOT/WHO'S NOT: Gasol has done a little bit of everything so far, averaging 18 points, 13 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and a steal in the series. Jefferson is 9 of 14 from the field, including 5 of 9 from beyond the arc. Look for him to be more active in the offense if the Spurs sputter in Game 3.
KEY STATISTIC: 0 - The number of free throws Parker attempted in Game 2. He went 14 for 16 from the line in Game 1, helping him score 20 points despite shooting just 4 for 16 from the field.
LAST WORD: "As bad as we were (Wednesday), it was still close at the end." - Gasol