MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP)-The Memphis Grizzlies to a victory over the history of the franchise, and Shane Battier expects a fight from the San Antonio Spurs.
The Grizzlies defeated the Spurs 104-86 on Monday night, and only need a victory to become the second No. 8 seed to knock off the top seed in the best of seven playoffs in the NBA.
Game 5 is Wednesday night in San Antonio, and Battier is to prepare his younger teammates what is ahead.
"This is a very difficult situation," he said. "These guys know how it could be. They will fight as hard as I fought before as a group. We must be able to match the intensity and excellence."
The Spurs have won 61 regular season games and only missed the NBA's best record by dropping the last two games. However, the NBA champions on four occasions to the verge of losing their playoff series 4-1 to open the second time in three years.
Battier think this is extremely dangerous on Wednesday night.
"I'd feel better if it was against a person other than the Spurs," he said. "They are very capable of winning three times in a playoff series. All we have done is kept home court."
Memphis made history by winning the game franchise in the playoffs for the first his first victory, then added his win in the playoffs for the first time at home. A win on Wednesday will put the Grizzlies in 2007 with Golden State Warriors No. 8 seed to eliminate only the best team since the NBA expanded to a best of seven series.
"I know many people did not expect to be here," said Grizzlies guard Mike Conley . "It's not as if we expect to 3.1 at this time. In our locker room we're playing this game just a game. We want you in San Antonio trying to end it. We are focused and want to be able to move to the next round."
Spurs are now placing their hopes to take a position on Wednesday night at home. Coach Gregg Popovich pulled his starters with 5:43 left to start resting for the match.
"They need the juice for the next game," Popovich said.
Conley scored 15 points and seven assists. Darrell Arthur added 14 points for Memphis. Tony Allen scored 12 and Zach Randolph and OJ Mayo each had 11 points.
Tony Parker scored 19 of his 23 points in the first half for the Spurs, but also had seven sales. Manu Ginobili had 14 points, Gary Neal finished with 11, and George Hill and Tiago Splitter : 10 each. Splitter, a rookie from Brazil, had not played in the series before.
Tim Duncan with six points for the Spurs to their 35th birthday.
"Obviously the whole team is very frustrated," said Parker. "I mean to go through an entire season and get the first seed, and now we are a party to remove what is most important that we focus on Game 5. This is the most important thing for Game 5 and try to get another opportunity to get a win here. "
San Antonio took 50 to 48 in the leading position at halftime for the first time in the series, and Memphis coach Lionel Hollins ripped his team at halftime.
Grizzlies responded with a 14-0 run to start the third quarter. Marc Gasol , two free throws put Memphis at 11:04 and then remains at 52-50, and Sam Young capped the rise with a dunk. Spurs missed their first five shots, had seven sales in the quarter and put on the line with Memphis in early mistakes.
"Everybody began to smell blood," said Conley. "I think we started to make some more shots and we have them. A couple more stops, a layup just over a little more than flying. "
The Grizzlies have all the fans and waving a rally towel, pick up the sound of every Spurs lose or error. Arthur closed the quarter by hitting a pair of jumpers to put Memphis up 78-65.
Battier made a 3-pointer to give Memphis the command 94-75 with 5:43 left, the party starts in earnest in the city desperately winner of the tenth year, the NBA Grizzlies' here.
"They have set foot on the neck and never leave," said Popovich. "They did a great job."
Grizzlies had their packed-sixth of the season and the fans could not have been more electric. They were buzzing with a sense of expectation rather than hope for a victory against the same team that swept Memphis in the playoffs in his first trip series in 2004.
Duncan, Parker and Ginobili have been in this team, and they are still the Spurs. Ginobili was asked whether they feel old right now.
"We've been feeling old for five years. I do not think it's a matter of experience, old or young," said Ginobili. "We are not the most athletic team in the league, and as hard as we said a week after we started playing. They are young, athletic. They play hard, and we could not find answers in the third quarter."
