Spurs sasamantalahin ang injuries ng Grizzlies

SAN ANTONIO - Na­sapawan ng historic run ng Golden State Warriors, isasalang ng Spurs ang kanilang bagsik sa NBA Playoffs.

“We didn’t play the way we did this season just to be on vacation after a few games,” sabi ni Spurs guard Manu Gino­bili. “It’s exciting. The pressure, the responsibi­lity, the fact that we have another shot at making something big happen. We are very excited about that.”

Tumabla ang Spurs para sa seventh-best record sa NBA history sa ka­nilang 67-15 baraha pa­ra makuha ang No. 2 seed sa Western Conference sa likod ng No. 1 Warriors.

Bago ang kanilang ina­abangang faceoff sa War­riors para sa kanilang ikatlong NBA Finals sa huling apat na seasons ay kailangan munang simulan ng Spurs ang kanilang first-round series laban sa seventh-seeded na Memphis Grizzlies.

Nagkaroon ng mga in­juries sa kanilang pla­yers, nahawakan ng Grizzlies ang No. 5 spot bago naipatalo ang siyam sa ka­nilang huling 10 laro.

Muling aasahan ng Mem­phis sina veterans Zach Randolph at Tony Allen para sa kanilang ika­­anim na sunod na play­off appearance.

Inaasahang makaka­hugot sila ng suporta mu­la kina Vince Carter at Matt Barnes.

“Everybody is bea­table,” ani Carter. “You just have to have that, I don’t want to say ‘perfect’ night, but you have to have that special night.”