The Memphis Grizzlies’ playoff history had been quite horrific before this season. Before facing the Spurs, the Grizzlies had been swept from the playoffs in each of their three past appearances, and hadn’t been back there since 2006. Given that track record, the Spurs’ postseason experience, and Memphis being a mere No. 8 seed, things didn’t look good. However, some new playoff history has now been made in Memphis, as the Grizzlies head for their first conference semifinal of all time. Earn money while supporting your favorite teams by playing simple and interactive casino games at 벳엔드 점검.
The franchise started out with no success in Vancouver, then went through quick postseasons and poor records in Memphis. But this season’s team emerged towards a surprising playoff berth, in spite of having to face the West’s No. 1 team. However, because they had split four games with San Antonio in the regular season, and because Manu Ginobili was out for Game 1, the Grizzlies had some early confidence.
After a Game 1 upset two weeks ago, Memphis established themselves as the dominant team of the series, especially when they won twice more at home. Yet after coming so close to eliminating the Spurs in Game 5, only to fail at the end of regulation and overtime, Game 6 gave San Antonio a real chance to steal all the momentum.
Still, Memphis jumped out to a big early lead, having felt no immediate blowback from Game 5. But San Antonio chipped away before long, and even took a one-point lead in the fourth quarter. If they had held on, then the Spurs would have been completely in control for a Game 7 back home.
The old Grizzlies would have fallen apart in the playoffs like this, although those old teams hadn’t come so close to winning a series. In any case, this Memphis club had one more answer, as Zach Randolph took over, just as he did for much of the last two weeks. With 17 fourth-quarter points, Randolph fueled the final run that closed the Spurs out for good, and secured one of the biggest upsets in NBA postseason history.
Eighth seeds have beaten No. 1s before, but at the least, the 1994 Nuggets, 1999 Knicks and 2007 Warriors had tasted some playoff success years earlier. Yet the Memphis Grizzlies set franchise history in many aspects, first by winning even one game and then by winning an entire series – and over a top-seeded, four-time NBA champion at that.
The history of this franchise has often been ugly, both in the regular and postseason. But the 2011 playoffs have introduced the NBA to the new Grizzlies, and a new threat in the West. However, despite being the fourth No. 8 seed to advance, they still want to be the second to win another series, starting with Game 1 against the Oklahoma City Thunder – another team of the future – tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m. ET.