Mike Conley scored 26 points and did all he could to take Memphis to a seventh game, but the Spurs had different ideas. San Antonio came out blazing in game six from an unlikely source of offense. Tony Parker shot 11 of 14 for 27 points and hit a clutch step-back jumper down the stretch of the fourth quarter to help seal the victory for the Spurs.
With just over a minute left in the game, Kawhi Leonard missed a mid-range step-back jumper, but David Lee would get a hand on the ball, and Kawhi went and got it back. After he had kicked it to Tony Parker, Parker drove right on Mike Conley, stepped back and hit a clutch shot to put San Antonio up 4 with 50 seconds to go.
The Grizzlies would go on to miss a shot, and after the Grizzlies played the free throw game, the Spurs would pull out the victory.
It was a hard-fought series by the Memphis Grizzlies, and while it didn't end like they wanted it to, no one can doubt how far they pushed the Spurs.
Mike Conley's play
Not enough can be said about Mike Conley's play this series and his whole career. Conley has been overlooked ever since he was a youngster playing AAU ball with Greg Oden. His demeanor on the court is filled with class, and his play backs up all the confidence that he has. Conley continued to pick apart the Spurs all series and even though he fell short on a shot and a free throw late in the game, taking his team this far is one real accomplishment.
Kawhi Leonard's play
Kawhi Leonard made it known in this first round that he is a force to be reckoned with. It was noticeable that he spent some time in the offseason last year with Kobe Bryant. His post game has gotten a lot better, and although his fadeaways and shot fakes are a lot more robotic than Kobe's were, they are still effective.
Kawhi elevated his play to a whole different level in this series and something tells us that it doesn't stop here. He gets a juicy matchup against the Rockets in which he'll be able to get the shots he wants at any moment. If Patrick Beverley guards him a lot, Kawhi will have a serious size advantage and really be able to wear Pat down.
This is about Memphis
This series is all about Memphis. How could it not be? The Memphis Grizzlies, a 6th seed, took the Spurs to the very end. This shouldn't be taken as a knock to the Spurs but praise to the Grizzlies. Head coach David Fizdale has this team believing in themselves and believing in each other. If they can get some pieces to help them on the wing, this team has a realistic shot at a bright future. Though their core isn't very young, nothing is stopping this team from being great.
