Game Preview: Spurs v Grizzlies

The San Antonio Spurs will play host to the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday in Game
5 of their first-round Western Conference playoff series at AT&T Center. After
convincingly earning a 2-0 lead in the series by winning Games 1 and 2 by a
combined 43 points, the Spurs (2-2) failed to steal either of the two road games
in Memphis and find themselves stuck in a competitive first-round series. In
Game 4, San Antonio fell just short despite the team playing a fairly poor game
overall, as they needed the heroic of both Tony Parker and Kawhi Leonard. Parker
finished with an impressive 22 points, five assists and four rebounds, but
Leonard decided to take over late and lead a comeback in the game’s final
quarter. He finished with a game-high 43 points in 44 minutes to go along with
eight rebounds and six steals. As they return home, the Spurs will look to get
more out of starting power forward LaMarcus Aldridge, who, despite playing 44
minutes in the contest, managed to grab just two rebounds and score 13 points.
As for the Grizzlies (2-2), their frontcourt duo is playing as strong as it has
ever played this season, with the pairing of Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph both
recording double-double’s in Saturday’s Game 4 victory, combining for 28 points
and 23 rebounds. The real star for Memphis, however, has been starting point
guard Mike Conley, who played tremendously over the Grizzlies’ two-game home
stand. In Game 4, Conley made big shot after big shot en route to scoring a
team-high 35 points to go along with nine rebounds and eight assists. Conley has
now bounced back in a big way following two losses to open up the series, as the
point guard 46 percent from three 55.6 percent from the field overall on his way
to scoring a total of 59 points over the last two contests.