The 2017 NBA Playoffs just completed its third day of competition. The Memphis Grizzlies and San Antonio Spurs battled in Game 2, in which Memphis fell to an unwanted 0-2 deficit in the first round of their NBA playoff series, falling 96-82 at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. However, after the game, something happened that could make this series extra interesting. Immediately after leaving the court, Grizzlies head coach David Fizdale lambasted the referees and called Game 2 a "very poorly officiated basketball game."
In a rant-filled monologue, Fizdale noted the free throw disparity which greatly favored the home team Spurs, 32-15 in free throw attempts.
Spurs superstar Kawhi Leonard shot more free throws (19) than the entire Memphis team combined. Fizdale, during the press conference after the game, said that his star forward Zach Randolph, whom he referred to as "the most rugged player in the match," attempted no free throws despite operating mainly in the shaded area. He also said that star point guard Mike Conley doesn't get respect from the referees, before calling them "unprofessional."
Will it help or hurt the Memphis Grizzlies?
Remember, David Fizdale is in his first year as an NBA head coach, and he just finished the second playoff game in his head coaching career. In spite of that, this rant may turn out to be good for the Grizzlies, as it may serve to fire them up for Game 3 at home at the FedEx Forum.
Fizdale for sure is going to get a hefty fine from the NBA office, but if Memphis bounces back and wins thanks in part to their coach's criticism of the referees, then it will end up to be a good thing. In the next game, referees will surely call the action tighter due to the added spotlight, which figures to benefit the Grizzlies, as they are known to be a hard-nosed, rugged, and highly physical team.
Series outlook: San Antonio controlling so far
As far as the actual matchup goes, the Grizzlies might find it difficult to pull out of the 0-2 hole they're currently in. San Antonio is a veteran team with tons of championship experience, and they know how to win games on the road. As far as the past two games, they've both featured double-digit wins for the Spurs, with them taking control of the second half in Game 1 for a 29-point victory, and leading by as much as 26 in Game 2.
For Memphis, they can hang their hats on the fact that they battled all the way from 26 down to cut it to four in the final quarter. Look for Memphis to make additional adjustments in their game plan, and look to how the referees respond in Game 3 of this 2017 NBA Playoffs matchup.
