If you didn’t catch last night’s Western Conference matchup between the Memphis Grizzlies and the San Antonio Spurs, you might have missed one of the best games this year’s playoffs will bring.

The game was huge for both teams, as Memphis attempted to steal another game on the road and knock off the West’s top seed and overall best record during the regular season. Also, the Spurs were looking to avoid potentially losing the end of an era to a quicker and younger Memphis team.

Fortunately with all of the Spurs experience and home court advantage they took an early lead by going up as much as 21 points in the first half, mostly due to the determination by future Hall-of-Famer Tim Duncan. This series was thought to have been an easy sweep for the Spurs, but the fiery Grizzlies proved they belong last night by battling back early in the third quarter to overcome the deficit and eventually take the lead.

Both teams battled then battled into the fourth, where it was neck-and-neck until the final two minutes. Zach Randolph then took over the game, and everything in the paint, for Memphis and they soon built a bit of a cushion with less than 30 seconds left.

Right when the game looked to be just out of reach, and Memphis was going to be the second No. 8 seed ever to topple a No. 1 seed. Manu Ginobili hit an impossible three pointer from the corner to tie the game.

Unfortunately, thanks to an officials’ review and a millimeter of Ginobili’s shoe the three was negated and counted only as a two, which still put the Spurs down one.

Zach Randolph soon found himself at the free-throw line to put two more points up on the board and creating another three point deficit with 1.7 seconds left on the clock.

The Spurs came out of their final timeout with only that 1.7 seconds left to save their season and force overtime. With the Spurs having three All-Stars and future Hall-of-Famers one would have assumed Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, or even Tim Duncan would be getting the last shot.

The inbound pass though fell into the hands of undrafted rookie Gary Neal instead. Neal dribbled three times to the right, shot-faked, and then put up a beautiful strike from the top of the key that fell through the net as time expired.

Overtime.

From there it was all San Antonio, as it seemed all of the wind had been ripped from the sails of the young and inexperienced Grizzlies. Tony Parker and Tim Duncan shredded the defense in the five minutes in overtime and ran the shot clock down as they held on to a 110-103 win at home, giving them at least one more game to potentially tie the series and bring it back home for a game seven.

Game Six is sure to be a great one as the possible end of an era in the Spurs is refreshed by the young talent in Memphis.