San Antonio Spurs Defeat Memphis Grizzlies in Opening Game of NBA Western Conference Finals

The San Antonio Spurs won the first game of the NBA's Western Conference finals  with a 105-83 defeat of the Memphis Grizzlies.

Tony Parker led the way for the Spurs with 20 points and nine assists as the Spurs struck first on their home court in San Antonio with this 22-point beating of the Grizzlies.

San Antonio built a 17-point lead in the first quarter but Memphis came back to get within six points in the second half. 

Quincy Pondexter led Memphis in scoring with 17 points. Grizzlies All-Star power forward,Zach Randolph missed his first seven shots and scored his only points on a tip-in with 9:26 left in the game.

The Grizzlies were not up to their usual defensive prowess today, allowing the Spurs to hit 53 percent of their shots and a franchise postseason-record 14 3-pointers.

With Randolph having a poor day, it was up to Pondexter to make his presence felt in the second half. Pondexter made a baseline cut for a layup off Darrell Arthur's pass, then hit back-to-back 3-pointers during a 10-0 burst. Jerryd Bayless' two-handed, fast-break dunk off a steal got the Grizzlies within 62-56 with 3:43 left in the third quarter, according to cbs.com

Bayless missed a 3-pointer on the next trip, and Manu Ginobili was able to make one at the opposite end to spark an 11-1 response that immediately restored the Spurs' lead to 16 by end of the quarter. Leonard hit a pair of 3-pointers and Gary Neal had one as San Antonio kept pouring it on in the fourth.

The four regular-season meetings were all won by the team with more points in the paint, but perimeter shooting proved to be a bigger factor in the playoff opener.

Memphis, which was second in the NBA by holding opponents to 33.8 shooting on 3-pointers, let San Antonio make 13 of its first 24 from behind the arc and finish 14 of 29.

Game 2 is Tuesday night in San Antonio, once again before the venue shifts to Memphis for the following two games.