SAN ANTONIO – Memphis coach Dave Fizdale stressed before Saturday’s playoff opener against the second-seeded Spurs that the loss of swingman Tony Allen is a huge blow for the seventh-seeded Grizzlies.
“That’s a kick in the you know whats,” Fizdale said of losing Allen, who is out indefinitely with what Memphis is called a right lower leg injury.
The Grizzlies were counting on Allen defending Spurs All-Star forward Kawhi Leonard.
“You are talking about one of the best wing defenders in this league for the last 10 years, and he was still doing it at a high level for us,” Fizdale said.