San Antonio Spurs vs Memphis Grizzlies: Player Game Grades
By Michael Rehome
The San Antonio Spurs are looking like a well-oiled machine after another blowout win in game two of the Western Conference Playoffs.
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The Good: Spurs continue their tormenting defense against the Grizzlies. San Antonio held Memphis to 68 points Tuesday on 32-percent shooting from the floor. The defense forced the Grizzlies to force shots that they normally do not take. When you can keep them away from the basket and make them beat you from the perimeter and they fail to make baskets, it is a win for any team. Zach Randolph continues to feel the pressure as he was held to 11 points, four better than the seven he had on Sunday. Offensively, the Spurs were magnificent. Spurs shot 47-percent from the floor.
The difference of the game would have to be the play of their bench and shooting from the 3. Spurs were 9-for-17 (52.9-percent), while the Grizzlies 2-for-14 (14.3-percent). Patty Mills led the Spurs onslaught with 16 points on 5-for-8 shooting from the floor (4-for-6 3PT). Kawhi Leonard, on the night he received his second consecutive Defensive Player of the Year Award, finished with 13 points and two steals.
The Bad: If there is a place that the Spurs need work in it is taking care of the ball. In game one the Spurs had 12 turnovers and in game two had 17. There are times when San Antonio does over-pass and not take the open shot. Case in point: in the fourth quarter Tim Duncan received a pass from Kyle Anderson and had a wide-open layup. Duncan in turn tipped the pass to West which was knocked out of bounds.
X-Factor: Patty Mills. Through two games in the series, Mills has scored 15 and 16 points. In both games, the team fed off of his energy. Mills comes in each game ready to go, playing hard on both ends of the floor. He is playing with a load of confidence right now and the players see that.