THE REAL ANIMAL SPORTS
Bonus Play Monday is 3* Oklahoma City -7
It’s funny this year. With all the hoopla around San Antonio’s gaudy record, Miami’s attempt at a 3-peat; Houston loaded w/ weapons; and the circus surrounding Indiana, I kind of feel like Oklahoma City is flying under the radar to a degree. On Saturday Memphis had three quarters of 21 points or less. I was surprised how ineffective Marc Gasol was. He seemed slower than normal. The officiating is really going to make it difficult on Zach Randolph. Of all the players this weekend (and I watched all eight games), I thought Randolph was the guys the zebras really targeted. Granted the nature of his play backing in will always be physical. But the guy was getting mugged under the basket and countless times the officials ignored it. Then anytime he reached in near the ball he got whistled for ticky-tacky fouls. Those two guys have to have monster games in order for Memphis to stay with the Thunder. Mike Conley is decent but he’s not in the same neighborhood as Russell Westbrook. Tayshaun Prince was ill on Saturday but he tends to disappear anyway in the playoffs. Courtney Lee and Mike Miller couldn’t get open for shots. You won’t get 13 points or any outside buckets normally from Tony Allen. Basically, the Grizzlies just don’t have the weapons to match up with Oklahoma City. Durant, Wesbrook, and Jackson are lightening quicker than anybody on the Grizzlies. Plus the role players like Fisher, Collison, and Butler are superior to anything Memphis can truck off their bench. Ibaka has improved his outside shooting and he’s a terror on the boards. Granted Memphis played well down the stretch but this is a new season. This is year #4 or #5 with essentially the main cast of Durant, Wesbrook, and Ibaka. I think by now they’ve learned the importance of getting ahead early in these first and second round series and resting up for the long haul. What’s scary if you’re a Memphis fan is Oklahoma City only shot 44.7 percent on Saturday and made only converted 4-of-16 from beyond the arc. But they had a huge edge at the charity stripe making 28-of-32 while Memphis struggle from the line (18-of-31). Memphis appears incapable of making the long ball hitting just 2-of-11 in game #1 from long distance. The Grizzlies with the #27 rated offense (points scored) appears to be a bad match for the explosive Thunder especially in Oklahoma City.
