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A look at the biggest first-round upsets in NBA playoffs history

By Simon Smith

May 9, 2016; Miami, FL, USA; A view of t-shirts are displayed for fans on the back of the chairs before game four of the second round of the NBA Playoffs between the Toronto Raptors and the Miami Heat at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
May 9, 2016; Miami, FL, USA; A view of t-shirts are displayed for fans on the back of the chairs before game four of the second round of the NBA Playoffs between the Toronto Raptors and the Miami Heat at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /
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2011 Memphis Grizzlies (8) vs San Antonio Spurs (1)

Memphis won series 4-2

The series commenced consisting of a 61-win Spurs team taking on the 46-win Grizzlies. On paper, it seems like a one-sided contest, especially when taking into account the Spurs’ rich history of playoff success. The Spurs finished the regular season with the second best offensive rating, averaging 109.4 points per 100 possessions. They also finished 11th in defensive rating at 102.8 per game.

The Grizzlies, meanwhile, were simply middle of the road in many categories. Amongst these were ranking 16th in offensive rating (104.4), 15th in PACE (94.50) and 24th in rebounding (42.9). And although they ranked 12th in the league for points per game with 99.9 per game, the Grizzlies ranked dead last in three-point field goals made per game (3.8).

Furthermore, the Spurs featured two players in the 2011 all-star game in Tim Duncan and Tony Parker, whilst the Grizzlies featured none.So naturally, if the Grizzlies were to make a series of this, keeping scoring down and playing in a very dogged, determined fashion seemed the most likely alternative.

And that’s exactly what happened. The Spurs, who averaged 103.7 points per game during the regular season, scored just 94.3 per game for the series. Their peripheral players simply didn’t step up to the mark when it mattered. Starting small-forward Richard Jefferson, who averaged 11.0 points per game during the regular season, averaged just 6.5 points on 38.7 percent shooting. This included zero points in the deciding game six.

Further, other role players such as Gary Neal, Matt Bonner and DeJuan Blair were all noticeably down in their contributions. As a result, the Spurs shot just 43.6 percent from the field as a team, well down from their 47.5 percent mark during the regular, which ranked fourth in the league.

The Grizzlies’ key trio of Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph and Mike Conley, combined with all-defensive second team selection Tony Allen, made life a living hell for the Spurs and their head coach Gregg Popovich. Randolph in particular was huge, averaging 21.5 points and 9.2 rebounds for the series, including 31 points and 11 rebounds in the deciding game six.

Despite their triumph, the Grizzlies came up just short in the next round against the Oklahoma City Thunder, 4-3.

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