May 16, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich (left) instructs point guard Tony Parker (9) against the Golden State Warriors during the third quarter in game six of the second round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena. The Spurs defeated the Warriors 94-82. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

The San Antonio Spurs are not willing to just lay down and pass over the torch. In a Game 6, which was do or die for the youthful Golden State Warriors, the veteran Spurs brought the fight and took the series.

If watching the game a second time, one might believe the Spurs to be the younger team considering the way they’ve not only kept up with the Warriors, but outrun them too. Tony Parker is a shining example. From start to finish, his energy is relentless. He attacks the basket, and because he is a threat to score, he opens up his wings on the perimeter like Danny Green and occasionally Kawhi Leonard, or Tim Duncan in his favorite spot at the top of the key. It was a poor shooting night for Parker and Manu Ginobili, but their effectiveness was not diminished. The Spurs’ veteran 1-2 punch combo of Ginobili and Parker combined to shoot 4-22 from the field, which is poor by anybody’s standards, but rather than hinder their team, they combined for 19 assists, constantly spreading the floor, and even knocked down several clutch, late game baskets to secure the lead.

The Warriors played with fight too, understanding that this was a win or go home situation. Well, they won’t have far to travel now, since they are already home. Despite Tim Duncan and Tiago Splitter clogging the lane, they still managed to grab 11 offensive rebounds. Stephen Curry rediscovered his offensive game, which had been hiding for a couple of games. He was scoring on full court layups, scoops and floaters, tough jumpers, and of course, his patented threes. Though, other than Jarrett Jack off the bench, no other Warrior hit more than four shots. They were getting promising hustle and production out of Harrison Barnes until he suffered a scary fall late in the second quarter, landing awkwardly with his head hitting the floor. He left the game, and six stitches were required to close a cut above his right eye. He returned to start the second half, but it was short lived as he left the game soon after because of headaches.

The Warriors continued to rally in the fourth quarter. They cut a 13 point lead down to two points, but then that’s when their luck ran out. On consecutive possessions, Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry had shot attempts go in and out, and the Spurs took advantage by knocking down some clutch threes from Leonard and Parker. The Spurs were able to close out on the road and now look forward to taking on the hungry Memphis Grizzlies in a rematch from round one of the 2011 NBA Playoffs, in which the 8th seed Grizzlies upset the 1st seed Spurs.

It was fantastic run for the Golden State Warriors, and should the team remain together and healthy, there’s no ceiling for their potential. Looking forward to the Western Conference Finals, it will be physical, gritty, blue collar basketball for about six to seven games. Memphis is my pick.

Tune in on Sunday, May 19, 2013, at 3:30 PM ET, to catch Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals.

Enjoy!

May 15, 2013; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Memphis Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph (50) handles the ball against Oklahoma City Thunder forward Nick Collison (4) during the second half in game five of the second round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena. The Grizzlies defeated the Thunder 88-84. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

The final score was 88-84 with the Memphis Grizzlies beating the Oklahoma City Thunder. I thought it would take six games but I guess not.

The Thunder fought hard and you knew that they wasn’t going to go down without a fight. Quincy Pondexter made a three-pointer with about six minutes left in the 4th quarter that put the Grizzlies up by ten. By then, the Thunder had just overcome a double digit deficit from the 3rd quarter. And still, the Thunder fought back.

It was close. Like all the other games in this series, it was a close finish.

The Grizzlies could’ve avoided a last second shot by the Thunder. Zach Randolph, with the Grizzlies up by two, had the chance to seal the deal being at the free throw line. But no, he missed them both and the Thunder had a chance. I said to go for the win. But Kevin Durant took a fairly open shot from mid-range and he missed. I’ll get to his struggles later. But yeah me missed that and the Grizzlies, Tony Allen, made two free throws and that was the game.

Why did it take five games? What went wrong for the Thunder? I said before that with Westbrook out, the Thunder were in trouble. The Grizzlies’ defense had it easy because the Thunder’s offense was too simple: Give the ball to Westbrook and Durant. There wasn’t much play-calling beyond that. And you saw it tonight. Durant would actively take on multiple players from the Grizzlies. Our man Charles Barkley pointed this out. The ball needed to move around because Durant just isn’t capable of scoring 35 each night. The rest of the Thunder stepped up better than I thought but the end result was expected.

So what about the Grizzlies? This is the first time in franchise history that they are in the conference finals. Can they go further? I’d like to think so. I think they can beat the Warriors but the Spurs would cause some problems. But, at this point, I see the Grizzlies as a threat to the Heat. I see both the Grizzlies and the Spurs as threats. Memphis needs to keep up the defense. And while the Clippers and Thunder were not top dogs defensively, the Spurs are quite the defensive team.

I would prefer to see Memphis and Spurs play for that defensive struggle. And it’s that defense that is capable of beating the Heat. I also see rebounding as key as well. For as great as the Heat are, they are not so great with rebounds. Both Spurs and Grizzlies got that covered.

So we’ll see. People talked about how odd it was to trade Rudy Gay, the leading scorer at the time, for Tashaun Prince, who actually decimated the Thunder defense with the dunk of the night and a top one for the playoffs. I liked the trade and the team has improved without him. So again, I think the Grizzlies will go far and for next round, I see them involved with a game six or seven no matter who they face.

Follow Dante on Twitter @DanteWrites