Grizzlies-Spurs Preview

By JEFF BARTL
Posted Dec 01 2012 1:19AM

San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich made a seemingly logical decision to sit four of his top players at the end of a six-game road trip to better prepare for a showdown with the Memphis Grizzlies.

The organization now has a lighter wallet because of it.

Despite NBA commissioner David Stern's controversial penalty, San Antonio's core will be well-rested Saturday night when it hosts surging Memphis.

After the Spurs (13-4) defeated Orlando on Wednesday, Popovich sent Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Danny Green home on a commercial flight to rest before the remainder of the team faced Miami in a nationally televised contest Thursday night.

"Everybody has to make decisions about their schedule, about players playing and back-to-backs and trips and that sort of thing," Popovich said. "In our case, this month we've had 11 away games. We've had an eight-day trip and a 10-day trip, and we're ending it with four (games) in five nights (in Miami). I think it'd be unwise to be playing our guys in that kind of a situation, given their history.

"Perhaps it'll give us an opportunity to stay on the court with Memphis on Saturday night."

Stern didn't agree, saying Popovich's decision was "unacceptable" and "contrary to the best interests of the NBA" while apologizing to the league's fans before Wednesday's game.

He fined the organization $250,000 on Thursday despite many around the league defending Popovich's decision.

"The result here is dictated by the totality of the facts in this case," Stern said. "The Spurs decided to make four of their top players unavailable for an early-season game that was the team's only regular-season visit to Miami. The team also did this without informing the Heat, the media, or the league office in a timely way."

San Antonio delivered a solid performance anyway, leading into the final minute of the fourth quarter before falling 105-100 to end a five-game winning streak.

Gary Neal scored 20 points off the bench while Matt Bonner added 10 and 10 rebounds.

"Oh, it would have been great if we won," Bonner said. "We have faith in everybody on our roster. We think we have one of the deepest teams in the league."

The Spurs haven't commented on the penalty and have seemed to turn their attention to the first meeting with the Grizzlies since sweeping last season's four-game season series.

Coach Lionel Hollins also didn't comment on Popovich's decision and the ensuing fine, but Memphis (12-2) seems more than prepared for the Southwest Division showdown after winning the final four of its five-game homestand with Friday's 90-78 victory over Detroit.

Rudy Gay finished with a game-high 18 points while Marc Gasol (11 rebounds) and Mike Conley scored 17 apiece.

"We played a lot of good teams in this homestand, and in the last few weeks," Conley said. "For us to get this win, is huge for what we stand for, and that's just one game at a time and being ready for each individual opponent."

Memphis tied a season best for points allowed and ranks first in the NBA defensively, yielding 90.1 per game.

"I'm happy we were ahead and our defense was still strong," Hollins said.

The Grizzlies have won four straight on the road since a season-opening loss at the Los Angeles Clippers, but they've dropped 14 of their last 15 regular-season games in San Antonio.

Duncan scored 28 points and added 12 rebounds in the Spurs' 107-97 home victory in the most recent meeting April 12.

'Disappointed' Spurs shrug off fine, beat Memphis

By PAUL J. WEBER
Posted Dec 02 2012 12:29AM

SAN ANTONIO (AP) So that's what $250,000 worth of rest looks like.

Tony Parker scored 30 points and Tim Duncan had 27 points and 15 rebounds, giving the San Antonio Spurs their money's worth for the unprecedented fine from the NBA they absorbed for putting rest over the league's business interests in a 99-95 overtime victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday night.

Coach Gregg Popovich said before the victory he was "disappointed" by the $250,000 fine levied by Commissioner David Stern after the Spurs sent Parker, Duncan and Manu Ginobili - three of the NBA's biggest names - home from a road trip early instead of playing them against LeBron James and the Miami Heat on Thursday in a nationally televised game.

This might ease his frustration. Because chances are Popovich wasn't second-guessing his decision while watching the 36-year-old Duncan put up his best game this season, Parker eclipsing 30 points for the third time in five games and Ginobili sinking the tying 3-pointer with under a minute left to force overtime.

Parker mentioned afterward - perhaps not coincidentally - that the two days off made him feel like he had "a lot of energy" in the extra period.

"We definitely always have Pop's back. Me, personally I really appreciate what he's done for my career," Parker said. "Because of him, I've been playing all those years and all those summers with the national team because he's always protecting me. Timmy's the same way and Manu is the same way."

He then added how he wanted to win this one for his coach.

"I definitely felt like it was for Pop," Parker said. "I wanted to be super aggressive and win the game."

Marc Gasol led Memphis with 20 points. Zach Randolph had 17 points and 15 rebounds and was one of three Memphis players with double-doubles.

Mike Conley had 18 points and 12 assists, and Rudy Gay had 15 points and 10 rebounds.

While the Spurs' Big Three was refreshed from two days off, Memphis was playing the second half of a back-to-back.

"We don't use any excuses here," Conley said. "We felt like we had a chance to win the game regardless of back-to-back or resting. We felt like we had a chance to win."

The unprecedented fine announced Friday overshadowed the first meeting this season between two of the West's winningest teams. Even Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban - who knows a thing or two about running afoul of Stern and getting hit in the checkbook - chimed in before his team's own game Saturday night.

Cuban believes the NBA was right to sanction his top rivals for messing with the league's "money train" - meaning lucrative national television contracts. Yet he also called scheduling that marquee TNT game at the end of the Spurs' six-game road swing a "dumb" move on the NBA's part.

Popovich said he doesn't know if the Spurs will appeal. He also didn't rule out sitting out players again in the future.

Succinctly addressing the fine before the game, he said the decision shows the NBA thinking about its bottom line and didn't elaborate on conversations with the league before the penalty came down Friday.

"What I do from my perspective is from a coaching perspective," Popovich said. "And I think the league operates from a business perspective. And I think that's reflective in the action that they took."

San Antonio fans welcomed Popovich back with a thunderous ovation before the game. One fan behind the Grizzlies' bench held up a sign reading "Pop knows best." Others wore shirts with more colorful language directed toward Stern.

The Grizzlies played without Tony Allen for a second straight game because of an injured groin. It's unclear when their starting shooting guard may return.

On Thursday, Popovich put his Big Three and starter Danny Green on a plane and sent them home. It came at the end of a six-game road trip and after the Spurs had played five times in seven days, and Popovich justified his decision by saying he didn't want to subject them to so much wear-and-tear this early in the season.

Stern apologized to NBA fans before the Miami game and vowed his office would hand down "substantial sanctions," which he delivered on the next day. He said he "concluded that the Spurs did a disservice to the league and our fans."

Teams are required to report as soon as they know a player will not travel because of injury. The league's statement said the Spurs were in violation of league policy reviewed with the board of governors in April 2010 against resting players in a manner "contrary to the best interests of the NBA."

The rest didn't benefit everyone. Green was scoreless in 19 minutes before leaving with tightness in his left hamstring.

Notes: Popovich said it's unlikely that starting F Kawhi Leonard (knee) will return on this weeklong homestand. Leonard has missed nine games. The Spurs hit the road again Dec. 8. ... San Antonio beat the Grizzlies for the fifth straight time after sweeping them last season. Memphis hasn't won against the Spurs since knocking them out of the playoffs in stunning fashion as the No. 8 seed in 2011.

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Follow Paul J. Weber on Twitter: www.twitter.com/pauljweber

Notebook: Spurs 99, Grizzlies 95

Andrew McNeill, for NBA.com
Posted Sun Dec 02, 2012 12:09 AM - Updated Sun Dec 02, 2012 12:09 AM

THE FACTS: The San Antonio Spurs overcame a 13-point deficit to start the fourth quarter and beat the Memphis Grizzlies 99-95 in overtime. The Grizzlies led by as many as 14 points in the period. Tony Parker led the Spurs with 30 points on 11-20 shooting, six assists and four rebounds. Tim Duncan scored 27 points, grabbed 15 rebounds and handed out four assists.

The Grizzlies outscored the Spurs by 12 points in the third quarter to build a big lead, but uncharacteristically couldn't finish off San Antonio in the fourth. Marc Gasol led Memphis in scoring with 20 points and had eight rebounds. Mike Conley scored 18 points and dished 12 assists for the Grizzlies.

QUOTABLE: "Playing in the half court doesn't work real well against [the Grizzlies]." -- Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich.

THE STAT: The Spurs 5-9 from the 3-point line in the fourth quarter to erase Memphis' 13 point lead. The Spurs hit two 3-pointers in all other periods.

TURNING POINT: The Spurs bench went on an 8-0 run in the fourth quarter when the Grizzlies had a 14-point advantage. Patty Mills hit a 3-pointer, then stole a rebound from Quincy Pondexter and laid the ball in to cut the lead to five points. On the next possession, Matt Bonner hit a 3-pointer to bring the Spurs within six points.

QUOTABLE II: "It was very much like a playoff atmosphere. It always is in this matchup and we knew it was going to be a tough game." -- Grizzlies point guard Conley.

HOT: Duncan made the most of his extra rest, scoring 21 points on 9-12 shooting in the first half against Memphis and pulling down eight rebounds.

NOT: Zach Randolph was a monster on the boards again for Memphis, grabbing 15 on the night, but the Grizzly big man shot just 5-21 on the evening for 17 points.

FANTASY SPOTLIGHT: Parker had 30 points, six assists and four rebounds for the Spurs. Duncan had 27 and 15 with four assists and a blocked shot. Gary Neal his three 3-pointers en route to 13 points and five rebounds. Randolph's 17 points and 15 rebounds, Conley's 18 points and 12 assists and Rudy Gay's 15 points and 10 rebounds all highlight solid fantasy nights for Memphis.

ROOKIE WATCH: Nando De Colo had four rebounds and one assist in almost six minutes of action for the Spurs. The Grizzlies' Tony Wroten is currently on a D-League assignment.

NOTABLE: Memphis shot 4-25 in the fourth quarter against the Spurs. San Antonio outscored Memphis 10-0 on the fast break in the period. The Spurs' Danny Green left the game in the third quarter with tightness in his hamstring.

UP NEXT: For the Grizzlies, Tuesday vs. Phoenix, Friday @ New Orleans, Saturday vs. Atlanta. For the Spurs, Wednesday vs. Milwaukee, Friday vs. Houston, Saturday @ Charlotte.

• Grizzlies: Wroten
• Spurs: Jackson, Joseph, Leonard

• Grizzlies: --
• Spurs: --

• Lead Changes: 17
• Times Tied: 9

• Arena: AT&T Center, San Antonio, TX
• Officials: #43 Dan Crawford, #56 Mark Ayotte, #65 Sean Wright
• Attendance: 18581
• Duration: 2:32