5 things to watch: Spurs vs. Grizzlies Game 3

Written by Jeff Garcia on .

The San Antonio Spurs (10-2) and Memphis Grizzlies (8-5) resume their Western Conference Finals series tonight for Game 3 in Memphis.

The Spurs will be looking to put a stranglehold on the series as they hold a 2-0 lead in the series. However, Memphis is undefeated at home in the postseason and beating the Grizzlies in the "Grind House" will be tough.

The Spurs are coming off a narrow 93-89 overtime win in Game 2 in San Antonio. Tony Parker led the team with 15 point and a career-postseason high 18 assists. Tim Duncan led the way in the extra frame with six points. Mike Conley paced Memphis with 18 points in the loss.

And as the Spurs will look to put a vice-grip on the series, here are five things to watch for during tonight's contest:

• The Spurs are 2-3 against the Grizzlies in postseason games played in Memphis

no comments

Editorial: Memphis restaurant denying Parker service still comes up empty in win column

Written by Michael A. De Leon on .

I love the atmosphere and competitiveness of the NBA playoffs. There's really nothing else like it. I also don't mind some friendly trash talk among Spurs fans and fans of opposing teams, and I'm all about a city getting behind their team.

But at some point, there's a line where fun and games and a little friendly competition ends and unnecessary behavior starts. A Memphis restaurant has now toed that line.

The Memphis Grizzlies are the San Antonio Spurs' opponents for the Western Conference Finals and while every Spurs fan has that nasty taste in their mouths from losing to these same Grizzlies in 2011, I would never expect the city of San Antonio to host the Grizzlies with anything but the world class service they are known for.

The tourism industry, local restaurants and the like are used to hosting all types of sports teams and athletes for NCAA tournaments, NBA, WNBA, arena football games and recently boxing so it's no surprise when I hear of the friendly and courteous service all over town.

no comments

'The Admiral' takes some good-natured ribbing from Dan Patrick

Written by Jeff Garcia on .

During his time in the NBA, San Antonio Spurs legend David Robinson posterized many foolish enough to challenge him in the paint but he wasn't immune from being on the receiving end.

And sports radio personality Dan Patrick made sure to remind "The Admiral" of this when he was a guest on his show.

OK so Robinson had his fair share of being posterized despite being one of the fiercest shot-blockers ever in the NBA. Who can forget what Shaquille O'Neal did to him in the 1996 All-Star Game in San Antonio?

But since Dan wants to tease Robinson on who dunked on him, let's take a look at a few of his vicious dunks when he was lacing up his sneakers for the Spurs.

Robinson has no mercy for the Clippers

no comments

NBA fines Tony Allen $5,000 for flopping

Written by Quixem Ramirez on .

The NBA will assess a $5,000 fine on Grizzlies guard Tony Allen's egregious flop after hitting the deck in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals. San Antonio Spurs' Manu Ginobili clearly committed a foul, which was deemed a flagrant, to prevent an uncontested layup in the waning seconds of San Antonio's 92-89 victory -- the flop in question occurred when Allen, his momentum carrying him out of bounds, gesticulated towards his head. Allen's head, replays revealed, never made contact with the court.

Allen hit the ensuing two free throws and the Grizzlies retained possession. Mike Conley hit a right-handed floater with 18.2 seconds to tie the game.

no comments

Video: Parker says injured calf is better

Written by Jeff Garcia on .

News came out earlier this week that San Antonio Spurs' Tony Parker would undergo an MRI on his injured left calf and now  Spurs fans can breathe a sigh of relief.

Parker spoke to the media recently and said his calf is doing much better. He went on to state the bruise is not as large anymore and that he just needs rest and continued medial treatments.

Check out what TP had to say about not only his ailing calf and his thoughts on making the All-NBA second team and his teammate Tim Duncan making the All-NBA first team.

no comments

Parker talks to Esquire about playoff style

Written by Michael A. De Leon on .

Tony ParkerFashion and style have long been part of the NBA, especially in a league filled with star power. It's also showed a glimpse at some questionable style choices, from Paul George showing up to his postgame presser looking like he just stepped out of a lime jello mold to the wacky suit choices some players sport on draft day.

San Antonio Spurs guard Tony Parker has been associated with style since he landed in the NBA as a fresh-faced 19-year-old from France. Being the son of a model never hurt, but Parker's draft day decision to go with the "Regis" look got him on best dressed draft lists on several media outlets.

Luckily for the Spurs and fans, Parker's fashionable wardrobe decisions were still far from his best talents on the hardwood.

no comments

Coach K: Ginobili one of the great players in the world

Written by Quixem Ramirez on .

Oftentimes, it's easy to just believe that Team USA is infallible with their disposal of talent -- which comes with the territory of having 12 of the best athletes in the world on the same squad. But they are indeed capable of mistakes and any well-coached international team, with a hard-and-fast system executed consistently enough, can topple what is widely considered the premier program in international play.
 
United States head coach Mike Krzyzewski doesn't take winning for granted. Krzyzewski has only lost one game in his 63-game tenure as head coach, and his team hasn't dropped a game in 50 consecutive matches.
no comments

De Colo very frustrated with lack of playing time in the postseason

Written by Jeff Garcia on .

Being an NBA rookie is hard enough but being an rookie with the San Antonio Spurs is another thing.

On a team with veterans such as Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker and a hard-nosed coach like Gregg Popovich, a rookie has to impress if he wants to crack the rotation and see steady minutes. Something rookie guard Nando De Colo is experiencing right now.

Nando played in 72 regular season games but saw his time on the court dwindle as the season progressed. He went from playing in 16 games in December to nine game in April to three games in the postseason where he has only totaled nine minutes. And now that he is not even suiting up for games in the playoffs nor has played in the Warriors and Grizzlies series, Nando is finding it very frustrating and it isn't sitting well with him.

In an interview with French site La Voix Du Nord, Nando vented about his lack of playing time with the Spurs.

no comments

(Video) Spurs' Kawhi Leonard: It's good team had a close game vs. Grizzlies

Written by Jeff Garcia on .

The San Antonio Spurs are up 2-0 on the Memphis Grizzlies in the Western Conference Finals as the scene shifts to Memphis for Game 3. However, Game 2 wasn't an easy win for the Spurs. Memphis made a huge rally to force overtime but the Spurs squeaked out the win.

While Spurs fans may have been sweating the narrow win, Kawhi Leonard says it is good the team had a close game and said coach Popovich was happy the team got the win  but did point out the team's flaws. 

Leonard was a guest on the Jim Rome Show and spoke about the narrow win and more including how the loss to the Thunder in last season's postseaon run still lingers in his mind, his thoughts on coach Gregg Popovich saying he is the future face of the franchise, playing in Memphis and the hostile crowd, and more.

no comments

Duncan, Parker named to all-NBA teams

Written by Jeff Garcia on .

San Antonio Spurs' Tim Duncan and Tony Parker have been selected to the 2012-13 all-NBA first and second team respectively.

Duncan received 45 first-team points and joined LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant and Chris Paul on the first team. Parker is joined by Carmelo Anthony, Blake Griffin, Marc Gasol and Russell Westbrook on the all-NBA second team.

Duncan averaged 17.8 points, 9.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 2.7 blocks during the regular season while Parker notched 20.3 points, 7.6 assists, and shot 52% on the season.

For Duncan this marks his 10th selection on the all-NBA first team and for Parker it marks his second selection to the second team.

no comments