The Memphis Grizzlies will look to bounce back from a disappointing 105-83 series opener when they face the San Antonio Spurs in Game 2 of the Western Conference Finals on Tuesday. Tip-off is set for 9:00 p.m. ET and will air live on ESPN, ESPN3.com and here.
Memphis will need a bounce-back performance from their leading scorer, Zach Randolph. Randolph managed just two points during Sunday's blowout after an impressive postseason thus far. His only lower-scoring game in 40 career playoff appearances was when he played 1 minute as a rookie for Portland in 2002.
"It's more frustrating than embarrassing," said Randolph, who missed his first seven shots in Game 1. "It's basketball. It happens to the best of them.
"Muhammad Ali, he got knocked down before. What made him the greatest fighter in the world is he always bounced back."
Memphis has started each series of the 2013 NBA Playoffs with a 0-1 deficit. Their opening round series saw the Los Angeles Clippers take the first two games before dropping the next four straight. Memphis would win four straight against Oklahoma City after a hard fought Game 1 loss in Round 2.
"That's what you do in life. Every time you have a bad moment, you've got to bounce back and get up and go again," coach Lionel Hollins said. "You have a bad day, you've got to get up the next morning and make it a good day. Every team has lost games that have been really bad, they've lost one-point buzzer-beaters, all of those types of things.
"If you're going to be in life and live, you've got to get up and go do it again and try to be better."
This is, however, the San Antonio Spurs, who are one of the most experienced teams in the NBA and know what to expect during the postseason.
After last year's West finals, the Spurs are wary of feeling good about any series lead. San Antonio won the first two games at home last year, and then lost four in a row to the Thunder.
"Everything can change real fast," point guard Tony Parker said.
The Spurs had a surprisingly easy time against the NBA's best defense in Game 1, shooting 53 percent and making a franchise postseason-record 14 3-pointers on just 29 attempts. When Memphis finally adjusted, the Spurs had already ran out to a 17-point advantage.
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