Memphis Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph celebrates

Zach Randolph was selfish down the stretch, and Memphis Grizzlies are no longer a teddy bear from the NBA playoffs.
Randolph had 17 of his 31 points in the final quarter with 11 rebounds, and the Grizzlies put off visiting San Antonio Spurs 99-91 on Friday night to close their first-round Western Conference series, 4-2.
"I would like to touch the ball every time down the court," he said. "I did take the initiative to try to take over the game." Grizzlies were 0-12 in three previous post-season appearance. However, they have etched their names into the record books by becoming only the second eighth seed to knock off top seed in the seven-game series the way to victory in the first playoff series in franchise history.
"Not many people knew much about us coming in, but we certainly made some noise, turned some heads and got some attention, that probably would not have given us if we lost this series," Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins said.
"I'm pleased with where we are, but I'm not satisfied with the view that this is a great opportunity to do something really special." Memphis moves in the conference semifinals against fourth-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder on the road since Sunday. Grizzlies took three of four regular meetings of the season against Northwest Division champions.
Spaniard Marc Gasol had 12 points with 13 rebounds, while Tony Allen and Venezuelan rookie Greivis Vasquez had 11 off the bench for the Grizzlies, who outplayed their opponents throughout the physically demanding series.
Frenchman Tony Parker scored 23 points, Manu Ginobili of Argentina ace was 16, and Tim Duncan finished with 12 and 10 boards for the Spurs, who posted a league best 61-21 regular season record, but failed to do so from the first round.
"It's very frustrating," said Parker. "We played well all season, but this does not mean anything if you do not play well in the playoffs. In general, Memphis played better than we give them credit." Dove close game five to escape, the Grizzlies came out on fire, quickly Racing on a 14-point advantage over their wild applause of 18,119 towel-rejection of the fans at the sold out FedEx Forum.
"We came out with a chip on our shoulders," said Randolph. "We thought we could win this game." Spurs chipped away and took a brief 80-79 lead on a jumper by Antonio McDyess with 4:39 left. Randolph, a self-described "blue-collar worker, went to work.
"We have grown to one with five minutes to go, but we did not make plays that we needed to win the game, and we could not stop Zach," Parker said.
"He made all the aces in the fourth quarter. That's what you need if you want to win the series;. Your best player makes the big shots, and he certainly delivered a big win for them," "From the press-me-up, we just they got back, and we drove it, he was an English war-horse, "Hollins said Randolph.
"He was really taking us in the fourth quarter." Burly forward scored 10 of the Grizzlies' next 14 points to the range of birds left the bridge and actuators to open a 91-82 lead with 1:01 remaining.
After the Spurs pulled out a 95-89, Randolph sank one of two free throws with 9.8 ticks to go. He sat on a bench to watch history being made and the celebrations begin

Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant took over

On Monday evening, after the Nuggets won their only game of the first round of the series, that they were destined to win, head coach George Karl had dared to propose Ty Lawson was the best player on the floor. Perhaps, in this game, he was. But the best player in the series was not controversial, and, when the Nuggets threatened to make it interesting again opening their Touch shooting in Game 5, Oklahoma City Kevin Durant took over. Whether we like it or not, superstars not only to determine the NBA, they determine its champion. It is a challenge for the Nuggets to go forward, and we should not keep jurisprudence trade Carmelo Anthony, to admit it. Anthony trade should happen. Everyone knows it. And the Nuggets did everything we could in these circumstances, getting Passel talent back when everyone knew they had a deal. It gave them a deep, unselfish team that was a blast to watch. Never more than in the final game, when 10 players are playing 10 players scored and it came to the final shot. But in a game in which the Nuggets outshot the opponent 46 percent to 37, and outshot them from long range 44 percent to 25, Oklahoma City came from behind because it was the best player on the floor, and it can not be denied. Man they call Durantula scored 16 of his 41 points in the fourth quarter. When the thunder had to have a cart, he got up and got it ... again and again. Nuggets, on the contrary, they were not sure who to call down the stretch. They had five players in double figures. They are unlikely top scorer was Aaron Afflalo, who took their last shot. "It is an advantage and disadvantage with 10 good players," Thunder coach Scott Brooks said. "It's hard to play at 10, especially in the playoffs. But when you have them, you'll like to play them. George, a dilemma that every night, because they have 10 good players who deserve to play. "If anyone can handle these guys, he can. But it's not easy to do. As a coach, I know we're playing 10, but (Daequan Cook) does not play many minutes, and Eric Maynor played 14 minutes, so it's a little easier with our 10. " This has become even easier in Game 5 as co-star in Durant, Russell Westbrook, was off all night, making only three of 15 shots. Nuggets had a plan for him, and it worked. "I can not deny, we talked a little about Westbrook today," Karl said after the shootaround Wednesday morning. "There are a couple things ... you know, it'll be interesting to see how aggressive he is out today. We believe that it will be very aggressive." Westbrook vulnerability at this point in his career is the ego, and the Nuggets made it work against him. In fact, they made it all up and down the list of Thunder to miss most of the night. Even Durant was a pedestrian 2-for-10 for long distances. But against the best defenders Nuggets had to offer - Wilson Chandler and Kenyon Martin - Durant threw around the court when it matters most, and stood as a military helicopter to make it the undisputed daggers.

Memphis Grizzlies in last night

Miami Heat eliminated Philadelphia 76ers and the Oklahoma City Thunder ousted the Denver Nuggets to move to the second round of the playoffs in the National Basketball Association.

San Antonio Spurs stayed alive with a 110-103 victory in overtime against Memphis in the other playoff game last night.

Heat beat the 76ers 97-91 win best of seven series four games to one. Dwyane Wade had 26 points and 11 rebounds, Chris Bosh had 22 points and 11 rebounds, Mario Chalmers scored 20 points and LeBron James counted 16 points and 10 rebounds for the Heat at American Airlines Arena in Miami.

Heat will face the Boston Celtics, "came the New York Knicks, for a place in the Eastern Conference finals.

"We understand where we are in this league and where the Celtics are," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters. "If we want to get to any place where we want to go, and the goals we set ourselves at the start of training camp, we must pass through them. And it would not be right, if not play them."

In Oklahoma City Arena, Kevin Durant scored 41 points, including the last nine to thunder, as they defeated the Nuggets 100-97. Russell Westbrook added 14 for the hosts as he won the series four games to one.

Thunder in next time to play Spurs and Grizzlies, who lead the San Antonio 03.02 ahead of tomorrow's Game 6 in Memphis.

Spurs Leave late
In AT & T Center in San Antonio, Gary Neal caught inbounds pass with 1.7 seconds left and hit a 25-foot 3-pointer as time expired to force overtime and keep the Spurs' season alive.

San - Antonio, who the best results in the NBA during the regular season, ahead of Memphis 06/13 in overtime, so as not to become the second number 1 descendants of the 2006-07 Dallas Mavericks lose a seven-game playoff series with the eighth your team.

Manu Ginobili scored 33 points and Tony Parker added 24 for the Spurs, and Zach Randolph led the Grizzlies with 26 points and 11 rebounds.