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Randolph, who entered having averaged 19.7 points and 9.3 rebounds in the playoffs, was quick to take blame afterward. "It's just one of them nights, first game of the series for me," he said. "It was just the rhythm of the game. ... But I've got to be better. Like I told my teammates, I've got to be better for them and we've got to be better as a group." USA Today Sports

Memphis Grizzlies, Zach Randolph 

This is a true story about Randolph, though, one that starred Tiago Splitter, Tim Duncan, Matt Bonner and even Boris Diaw as the resident bullies, and it has the Grizzlies forward gritting and grinding his teeth after an ominous sign in the opener. "That was the best defense I've seen on the big fella in a long time; they did a great job," said the Grizzlies' Mike Conley, who was outplayed in his point guard battle with the Spurs' Tony Parker. "He tried to apologize (in the locker room), and we wouldn't accept that. We said, 'It's not you; it's all of us.' He's just saying that he's going to do better, but we've all got to do better defensively, and offensively we've got to move the ball in order to get other guys open like Zach and play our game." Parker, who had eight of his 20 points in the first quarter in which San Antonio led by 17 points, said, "Yeah, we tried to make it hard on him (with a) double-team. Obviously, he's their best scorer. He's a beast inside. (But) we know he's not going to play like that every game." USA Today Sports

Memphis Grizzlies, San Antonio Spurs, Tony Parker, Zach Randolph, Mike Conley 

Jeff McDonald: Duncan on Z-Bo: "We knew coming in what he wanted to do. So far, what we game-planned worked pretty well.". Twitter @JMcDonald_SAEN

Memphis Grizzlies, San Antonio Spurs, Zach Randolph, Tim Duncan 

Everyone knows the deal: Pau Gasol to the Lakers for his chubby, unheralded younger brother Marc Gasol, bust Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton and a couple first-round draft picks. Stunning criticism crushed Wallace for getting fleeced while being backhandedly credited for handing the post-Shaquille O’Neal Lakers the keys to certain championships. “I expect the media to shoot from the hip and not study the deal. That’s to be expected,” Wallace said. “I just shook my head. I had never seen that kind of response from inside the league. I don’t deny that was the assist for two Lakers championships, but we had to shake things up. We had never won a playoff game. We had been in the 20s [wins] and there was complete apathy in our market. Calipari and the Tigers were roaring at the time. "When we went around the league, we weren’t going to get a tit-for-tat deal. We wanted to bring our salary structure down, get assets and draft picks. And no one else had a Marc Gasol.” NBA.com

Memphis Grizzlies, Pau Gasol, Chris Wallace, Marc Gasol 

Marc Gasol attended high school in Memphis as Pau was becoming the franchise’s all-time leading scorer. At 18, he returned to Spain to begin his professional career in the Spanish ACB league, largely considered the world’s second-most competitive league. In 2007-08 he was tearing it up. "He was trending up so much at the time. He was on pace to be the ACB MVP,” Wallace said. “I said it at the time, I felt like the little boy crying wolf. There was no question Pau was going to flourish next to Kobe and could win several titles, but this deal couldn’t be judged for several years.” NBA.com

Memphis Grizzlies, Pau Gasol, Chris Wallace, Marc Gasol 

Mike Prada: Offensive efficiency ranks of the four teams left in the playoffs: No. 1, No. 6, No. 17, No. 18. Twitter @MikePradaSBN

Indiana Pacers, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs 

Mike Prada: Defensive efficiency rankings of the four teams left in the playoffs: No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, No. 7. Twitter @MikePradaSBN

Indiana Pacers, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs 

Marc Stein: Clips, I'm told, have NOT asked to interview Spurs' in-demand Mike Budenholzer. Suggests Sterling was thus scouting free agent-to-be Hollins Twitter @ESPNSteinLine

Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, San Antonio Spurs, Coaching, Donald Sterling, Lionel Hollins, Mike Budenholzer 

Marc Stein: Hottest theory circulating here in San Antonio is that Donald Sterling was at Game 1 sitting across from Grizz bench to scout Lionel Hollins Twitter @ESPNSteinLine

Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, San Antonio Spurs, Coaching, Donald Sterling, Lionel Hollins 

Marc Stein: Could Sterling have been in San Antonio on other business, on a Sunday, two rounds after Clips eliminated? If so, that's a first for him Twitter @ESPNSteinLine

Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, San Antonio Spurs, Coaching, Donald Sterling, Lionel Hollins 

Marc J. Spears: Clippers owner Donald Sterling sitting courtside at Spurs-Grizzlies game. Twitter @SpearsNBAYahoo

Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, San Antonio Spurs, Donald Sterling 

The NBA pre-draft camp is always fraught with rumors. One that started percolating Saturday pertained to Brooklyn’s search for a new head coach. Some NBA officials claim the Nets are honing in on Lionel Hollins, Memphis’ coach whose contract will soon expire. The Nets’ interest in Hollins is hardly surprising, especially considering the terrific job Hollins has done this season. Racine Journal-Times

Memphis Grizzlies, Coaching, Lionel Hollins 

Ronald Tillery: Practice flow on eve of WCF: Hollins on being perceived as an underdog, "It doesn't matter. We’re appreciated by our fans and by ourselves." Twitter @CAGrizBlog

Memphis Grizzlies, Lionel Hollins 

Metta World Peace: Congrats to Memphis for winning the 2013 championship. Just finish the job... Twitter @MettaWorldPeace

Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Metta World Peace 

“This moment means a lot to me,” Randolph said. “I’m happy, but we still have work to do. I want to win a ring.” Randolph can be the king of colloquialisms when talking about others, such as when he described the defense teammate Tony Allen was applying to Kevin Durant: “Tony’s a dog, man. He’s in the mud.” The Grizzlies marketing department has crafted slogans and campaigns around Randolph’s colorful descriptors and phrases. NBA.com

Memphis Grizzlies, Zach Randolph 

But he’s mostly bland when talking about himself. It’s a subject best left unto others, like Allen. “I’ve [known] Zach ever since I got in the league, what his skill level was,” said Allen, who joined the Grizzlies a season later in the summer of 2010. “But he was … at first all about going out and getting his. And ever since I got alongside him, he’s done a good job of mixing it up, passing the ball when you don’t have a shot, being more of a vocal leader and just a teddy bear off the court. When I say teddy bear, just a nice guy. He’s the nicest guy in the world. I saw him grow a lot despite what I heard about him previously before I got here.” Previously? “Just rough around the edges, that’s all,” Allen said, chuckling. “But me and him pretty much got the same characteristics. Growing up we overcame a lot. Right now, it’s a big time to do something big and I think that’s what his mindset is right now — trying to do something real big.” NBA.com

Memphis Grizzlies, Zach Randolph, Tony Allen 

The big stage has been a long time coming for Randolph, a player many assumed would have run himself out of the league by now. That’s not the case or even any longer an option. The 12-year veteran has found a home and fulfillment in Memphis. “He just understands the big picture a little bit better. He understands winning better,” Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins said. “I think there are lot of good players in this league that have statistics, that have talent, but never win, never understand that it takes more than their 20 points to win; that it takes moving the basketball, it takes playing defense, it takes being a decoy sometimes. “We just try to challenge him and he accepts being challenged, and he’s risen to the occasion.” NBA.com

Memphis Grizzlies, Zach Randolph, Lionel Hollins 

Let’s say Franklin is one of the most confident players in camp. He said his offensive game is similar to New York’s J.R. Smith’s — “I can score in so many ways.’’ — and his defensive game is similar to Memphis’ Tony Allen. Racine Journal-Times

Memphis Grizzlies, New York Knicks, Draft, Tony Allen, JR Smith, Jamaal Franklin 

Memphis Grizzlies forward Quincy Pondexter’s dog has become a staple at team practices. It’s a husky named “Buckets,” and judging from the pictures Pondexter has posted on his Instagram account, it’s pretty much the most awesome dog in the world. It’s no coincidence that Pondexter’s adoption of this dog has lined up with his development into a valuable player at both ends of the floor off the bench for the Grizzlies. With any luck, there will be a remix of DJ Paul’s “We Don’t Bluff” that adds Buckets to the list of name-checked Grizzlies. For The Win

Memphis Grizzlies, Quincy Pondexter 

Josh Robbins: #UF #Gators PF Erik Murphy has interviews scheduled for today with the #Grizzlies and the #Clippers. Tomorrow: possibly, #Pacers. Twitter @JoshuaBRobbins

Indiana Pacers, Los Angeles Clippers, Memphis Grizzlies, Draft, Erik Murphy