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Spurs 98, Grizzlies 74

By T.A. BADGER

Associated Press Writer

SAN ANTONIO (AP) – The Memphis Grizzlies’ first playoff experience was not worth the wait.

The San Antonio Spurs, giving the Grizzlies a harsh initiation to postseason play, got 26 points from Tim Duncan and took control early in a 98-74 victory over Memphis on Saturday night.

The Spurs used their size advantage to produce easy inside baskets from Duncan and Robert Horry, while their relentless defense made Pau Gasol a non-factor while holding Memphis to its worst shooting percentage of the season.

Eighteen of San Antonio’s first 25 points came in the paint, and they ended with 50 points inside.

The win was the 12th straight for the Spurs and their 14th straight at home, coming against a team that beat them three times during the regular season.

Memphis, which entered the league in 1995 as the Vancouver Grizzlies, never made the postseason or won more than 28 games in its first eight seasons.

Game 2 in the best-of-seven series is Monday night in San Antonio.

San Antonio led 49-34 at the break, and the lead grew as large as 28 before the Spurs’ regulars sat down for the night.

Gasol, the Grizzlies’ leading scorer, went 3-for-11 from the floor and finished with 14 points.

As a team, Memphis shot 34.8 percent, the Spurs 53.4.

Manu Ginobili added 15 points for the Spurs, while Hedo Turkoglu had 12 and Horry and Tony Parker each scored 10.

Bonzi Wells had 16 points to lead Memphis and James Posey scored 15.

A pair of free throws by Gasol midway through the first quarter gave the Grizzlies their only lead, 8-6. Duncan then went over Mike Miller for a layup to tie the score and start an 11-0 run.

The Spurs limited the Memphis starting lineup to only 16 points in the first half on 6-for-17 shooting. The only bright spot on offense for the Grizzlies was Wells, who came off the bench to score 12 points in 12 minutes before the break.

Gasol, guarded mostly by Duncan, was held without a field goal until he made a driving layup with 19.2 seconds remaining in the half.

Notes: The Grizzlies’ lowest shooting percentage during the regular season was 35.2 percent against Toronto on March 23. … San Antonio’s bench outscored the Memphis reserves, 37-28. … Robert Horry’s 166 playoff games is second only to Karl Malone’s 173 among players in this postseason. … Wells is the most seasoned of the Grizzlies with 25 games of playoff experience. … San Antonio’s Devin Brown did not play because of a rib injury. He is expected to miss most or all of the Memphis series.

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