Grizzlies |
mix it up
against |

the Spurs

JIM CHLIBOYKO

veryone in the crowd was saying
the same thing; “Be nice to win
the last one.”

April 16 was the last home date of
the season for the Vancouver Grizzlies,
against the San Antonio Spurs. The
video screens let you know it, too.
Various players assembled on the
scoreboard to tell Vancouver that they
were the best fans ever, and one nerv-
ous-looking player, who I couldn't
quite make out from my angle, actually
said the words, “Vancouver, you are
the wind beneath my wings,’ to a cho-

  
  
  

ive laughter from the

the game: For awhile, it seemed

the game was a reversal of the

May 1998 Page 30

  
 
 

team’s usual inadvertant game plan to
fade out after three quarters of hard
play.

No, this time, the Grizzlies started
off weakly. After the first quarter, their
field goal success was in the 30th per-
centile, defence was lacking and Big
Country wasn’t even around to lean on,
out with a wonky knee. But, then
again, neither was the Spurs’ David
Robinson playing, he had a rusty joint
as well as a concussion. (A little over-
compensation on the injury sheet,
methinks.)

With no Big Country, it was the
chance for substitute Tony Massenburg
to show his stuff, and for Sharif
Abdur-Rahim to shine as leader.

Massenburg seemed to be shaken

Dave Tam Photo

with the responsibility at first. His but-
terfingered play was almost comical—
it looked like he was trying out for the
Washington Generals—but he was
clearly upset with himself. He would
prove himself with stronger second and
third quarters, but the first quarter was
disastrous. Everyone seemed awkward,
rim shots, air balls, knock-downs....

Ditto Sharif. Abdur-Rahim attempt-
ed a club record [2 shots in the first
quarter. Unfortunately, he didn’t sink a
club record 12 shots. He only regis-
tered four of them, finishing the open-
ing 12 minutes with a .333 shooting
percentage. For awhile, the Grizz
looked done.

The Spurs, meanwhile, looked like

they weren't missing Robinson too