With yesterday’s decisive 104-86 victory over San Antonio, the Memphis Grizzlies now find themselves on the verge of becoming just the second eight-seed to ever defeat a No. 1 in a seven-game series. Suffice to say, the Grizz – who went 46-36 during the regular season – have shocked the nation while going up 3-1 on the Spurs. And if they can finish this thing out, it would also be the franchise’s first-ever series victory in the playoffs. This is all sans their star small forward, Rudy Gay, whose season ended early due to a shoulder injury.
As Memphis continues to click on all cylinders against the Western Conference’s top team, it got us reminiscing about another 1-8 first round matchup: Dallas vs. Golden State in 2007.
During the ’07 regular season, Dallas was so dominant and so fierce (going 67-15) that it looked as if the upstart Warriors had zero chance of slaying the giant. On paper, that is. In their first-round matchup, the eighth-seeded Warriors – led by Stephen Jackson and Baron Davis – crushed the hopes of Mark Cuban and Mavericks nation in a six-game upset beat down.
Davis, whose playoff breakout moment may have actually come in the next series against Utah, was on point in each of Golden State’s wins. In the series opener, Davis dropped 33 points, 14 boards and eight assists for the W at Dallas, and to the clinch the first-round victory, he poured in 20, 10 and six. Beast.
Both BoomsBeard and Captain Jack stepped up to bring the Bay a second-round appearance, but the supporting cast is what made the ’07 Warriors special in the postseason. Jason Richardson, Matt Barnes and Andris Biedrins all made their respective impact felt against the Mavs. And even though the Warriors would go on to lose to Utah in the second round, their first-round upset remains one of the most exciting, and surprising, series in NBA history.
More surprising to us, though, is that Patrick O’Bryant was the team’s Lottery pick that season…
What do you think? Can Memphis finish the upset and clinch the series on Wednesday against San Antonio?
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