Gametime
Western Conference Semifinals Game 1: Grizzlies , Thunder May 5, 2013
Recent Highlights
Photos
Key Stats of the Night
- Oklahoma City had two more rebounds (43-41), four more points in the paint (36-32) and two fewer turnovers (12-10). Each team scored only four second-chance points.
Key Plays of the Night
- Derek Fisher poked the ball away from Mike Conley to spring Durant the other way, and he pulled up to make a shot with 11.1 seconds left that put Oklahoma City up 91-90.
- Quincy Pondexter had a chance to send the game to overtime when he was fouled attempting a 3-pointer with Memphis trailing 93-90 and 1.6 seconds remaining. But he missed the first free throw.
Player Notes
- The Grizzlies got 20 points and 10 rebounds from Gasol and 18 points and 10 rebounds from Zach Randolph. Pondexter and Conley scored 13 apiece.
- Kevin Martin scored 25 for Oklahoma City, which trailed for much of the game but was able to avoid repeating its Game 1 loss from when these two teams met in the West semifinals two years ago. The Thunder were able to rally and win that series in seven.
Five players scored in double figures but the Grizzlies lost Game One to the Thunder 93-91 on Sunday in Oklahoma City. Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph combined for 38 points and 20 rebounds while Mike Conley scored 13. Game Two will take place on Tuesday.
Tune in to SportSouth at 11pm tonight for the debut of our special postgame edition of Grizzlies Live! presented by Chuck Hutton Toyota with Pete Pranica, Brevin Knight and Rob Fischer. Check schedule for Grizzlies Live! air times after each Western Conference Semifinals matchup. Details.
Highlights
Game Notes
- Conley made a pair of driving layups and a jumper as Memphis surged ahead with a 15-4 run early in the third quarter. The lead stretched to 70-58 when Conley hit a free throw following 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions by Pondexter and Tayshaun Prince.
- Martin converted a three-point play and a 3-pointer as the Thunder scored nine of the first 11 points of the fourth quarter, prompting Memphis coach Lionel Hollins to call a timeout with the lead down to 75-73 with 10:08 left.
- Quincy Pondexter had a chance to send the game to overtime when he was fouled attempting a 3-pointer with Memphis trailing 93-90 and 1.6 seconds remaining but missed the first free throw.
- On the Grizzlies' previous possession, Thabo Sefolosha deflected an inbounds pass, and Conley landed out of bounds while diving for the ball. Reggie Jackson then hit two free throws to make the lead three.
- Jackson hacked Pondexter on his right arm before he released a 3-pointer from the left wing in an attempt to tie it. Pondexter, a 72 percent career free-throw shooter, made his second attempt before purposefully missing the third, but Durant swatted the rebound away and Marc Gasol's attempt at a buzzer-beater was late.
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Postgame Quotes
Coach Hollins
On the game:
“We had opportunities, we just didn’t execute as well offensively or defensively. They got in transition and [Kevin] Durant made some big buckets.”
On the Grizzlies offense:
“We played quicker and we were more in tune on defense. We took away a lot of shots that they were getting in the first. We just weren’t able to sustain it in the fourth quarter. Kevin Durant’s a great player and he got going to make some good shots. Talk about whatever you want to talk about, but he made those shots. That last one was a great play. They were down one and he made that shot to put them up one. Not everybody is making that shot at that particular point. He tends to make those shots and force us to go score again. We did for a minute, and then we slipped up and didn’t score, and eventually they took the lead and won the game.”
On Kevin Martin:
“He’s always been a good scorer and a shooter. He got to the free throw line a little bit today as well. We have to be more focused and be able to scheme around what we’re going to do with him.”
Mike Conley
On what the Thunder’s defense:
“They are long. [Serge] Ibaka and Kendrick [Perkins] did a good job of contesting at the rim and all the guards did a good job of helping in the paint and then collapsing, just making it tough.”
On if he preferred for Oklahoma City to call a timeout with 20 seconds to play:
“When you’ve got KD [Kevin Durant] I don’t think it really matters. In any situation he is going to be tough to guard, but obviously when they didn’t call a timeout it is tough to guard a guy when you’ve got a team backing up and you are trying to set up a defense. Either way we were going to have our hands full.”
Quincy Pondexter
On tonight’s game:
“We came out and we laid it all out there. It was a quick turnaround. It was a game that I think that we all think we should’ve won. We were right there in it and they really did a great job of executing down the stretch. Kevin Durant is a hell of a player and he delivered.”
On not being able to get a stop in the end:
“We pride ourselves on the defensive end and we let KD and Kevin Martin do a lot tonight. We’re going to have to watch the tape. The series is still very early and we’ll just have to build on this game.”