Grizzlies look to eliminate Spurs

Only three times in NBA history has a one seed lost to an eight seed in the first round of the playoffs. However, it could happen again Wednesday night, when the upstart Memphis Grizzlies shoot for the elimination of the top-seeded San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of that Western Conference series in San Antonio (8:30 pm Eastern, NBATV).

Also Wednesday the Miami Heat go for the kill when they host the Philadelphia 76ers for Game 5 of that Eastern Conference series (7 pm Eastern, TNT). And the Oklahoma City Thunder will try to close out their first-round series when they host the Denver Nuggets for Game 5 of that series (9:30 Eastern, TNT).

Then Thursday we've got a couple of �if� games. If the Indiana Pacers, down three games to one, can win in Chicago on Tuesday night, they'll host Game 6 of that series Thursday. And if the Orlando Magic can stay alive and beat the Hawks on Tuesday those teams will play a Game 6 in Atlanta on Thursday.

Also Thursday the Los Angeles Lakers and New Orleans Hornets, tied at two games apiece going into their Game 5 on Tuesday, will play their Game 6 in New Orleans. And the Dallas Mavericks, up three games to two over the Trail Blazers, visit Portland for that Game 6.

The Spurs won 61 games during the regular season to earn the top seed in the West, but stumbled down the stretch with C Tim Duncan missing some time with a twisted ankle. Then F Manu Ginobili hurt his elbow in the season finale. So the injury bug that had left San Antonio alone almost all season finally took a bite out of the Spurs, and they felt the effects.

Memphis, meanwhile, won 46 games this season to sneak in as the eight seed out West. Now they're on the verge of really shaking things up. The Grizzlies split their four games with San Antonio during the regular season, then took the opener of this playoff series, winning on the road 101-98 as the Spurs played without Ginobili.

San Antonio won Game 2 to even the series, but Memphis, on its home court, won Game 3 on Saturday 91-88 and Game 4 on Monday 104-86. So the Grizz are one victory away from joining the 1994 Nuggets, the 1999 Knicks, and the 2007 Warriors as eight seeds who have won a first-round series.

Memphis trailed by a bucket at the half Monday night, then went on a 14-0 run out of the locker room and ended up outscoring the Spurs 56-36 in the second half. The Grizzlies shot 51% from the floor for the game and committed just nine turnovers, forcing San Antonio into 17 TOs.

For the series as a whole Memphis is shooting 46% from the floor, the Spurs 43 percent.

The Grizzlies are also a perfect 8-0 vs. the oddsmaker.ag pointspreads when playing San Antonio this season.

As of Tuesday morning oddsmaker.ag is listing the Spurs at +700 to win the West, with Memphis getting +1,000.