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Game 4 between the Memphis Grizzlies and San Antonio Spurs was an all-timer. It's a game that fans are going to remember for a long time, regardless of the outcome of the series, and that's a rare attribute. It takes a special game to stand out apart from the overall narrative of who won what, but an overtime game with seven lead changes, 11 ties, a 43-point performance from MVP candidate Kawhi Leonard, Mike Conley dropping the best performance in Grizzlies playoff history, and a thrilling gamewinner from franchise icon Marc Gasol hits that special level. 

The series is tied 2-2, because of an incredible game between two longtime Western Conference powers, and here are the most important moments from it:

10. THE AIRBALL

It is impossible to discuss the totality of this game and all its signature moments, especially with due respect to the amazing performance Leonard put on the fourth quarter and overtime without noting how improbable Leonard's biggest miss was. And how off. 

It was off. 

Very, very off. 

Everything went wrong here for Memphis. James Ennis reaches, which allows Leonard to go to his right, which Ennis was specifically shading against to try and keep him from going there. Leonard rises before he can recover, and has a good, wide-open look for a shot he can make. Leonard shot 53 percent from that spot this season:

He's going to make that more often than not, but the biggest shot of the game, that could have put the Spurs up 3-1 and effectively ended the series, barely grazed the net. 

9. THE STEAL

Leonard's nicknamed "The Claw" for a reason. 

Much of his MVP case is built on his standing as the best two-way player in basketball this year, with his offensive efficiency and otherworldly defensive abilities. Here, he just flat-out robbed James Ennis like it was lunch money on the playground. Then he races downcourt, eludes Mike Conley, and finishes, and-one with a foul from Ennis, his free throw would tie the game with under three minutes to go. 

Underrated moment: Pau Gasol's bench reaction. 

BONUS: This was the third quarter, but this sequence was part of what turned the tide. The Grizzlies finally got a stop on Leonard, Leonard flat-out takes the ball from Marc Gasol and scores. 

8. THE FLOATER, REDUX

This wasn't the biggest shot Mike Conley made (FORESHADOWING), but it did put Memphis up three, which gave them the scoring dynamic they needed to hold on. Under a minute to go, in overtime, no timeout taken, and Conley calmly gets to his spot. Notice how he resets the ball to Gasol to ensure the switch so he's in isolation vs. LaMarcus Aldridge, who has no chance of containing him. Also notice that Conley goes to the floater (which is an objectively better shot for him, with Leonard closing weak side. 

Finally, pay special attention to David Lee, who can't help off James Ennis in the corner. The Grizzlies' improved 3-point shooting is helping their spacing considerably in this series. 

7. THE GASOL AND-ONE

Want to know a secret? Marc Gasol did not have a good game. He had huge moments, but shot 5-of-12 from the field for 16 points, and 3-of-9 going into overtime. He gave up two late-game key 3-pointers to Leonard by not stepping up against a clearly burning-hot shooter. 

But Gasol is a guy who has delivered time and time again for Memphis, and this play was absolutely monster. It came after The Harrison Block (we'll get there), and put Memphis back in the lead after it looked like Leonard was just going to win the game out-right. This is a center, in transition, finishing and-one. 

If Lee tries to contest this shot, it's a miss. Point blank. He'd miss shots like this all night. But instead he goes for a cheap charge, and doesn't get the call. It's actually less of a hold on Zach Randolph than I expected in that situation, also.

6. THE BROKEN-PLAY 3

Broken-play 3-pointers are the most deadly play in basketball. There's a scramble, the defense takes a chance to go for the loose ball, and in the ensuing chaos, the offense recovers the ball and gets the look they would have wanted from a normal set anyway. 

Here, Mike Conley dives for the ball, the whole team is frantic, and Leonard calmly pulls up for a monster 3-pointer. Watch for David Lee's smart-as-all-get-out screen to recognize the situation, and Gasol not stepping up to contest for fear of a cutter behind him, and Leonard's calm, cool confidence in knocking down a shot like this. 

5. THE HARRISON BLOCK

Andrew Harrison scrapped his way onto the Grizzlies' D-League squad. He scrapped his way onto the summer league team. He earned the back-up point guard spot. Then, when injuries set in, he became a part-time starter this year. He's young, and still figuring out his game, and has nights where he's a disaster. He should not be expected to deliver in a game like this, but he has to. And Harrison played well in his 19 minutes. He scored seven points, made both his shots, played defense. But nothing was on the level of this play to set up the Gasol and-one, a five-point swing on hustle alone. 

Playoffs. 

4. THE LOST CORNER 3

I get it. I do. James Ennis is hyped, and just trying to commit to whoever has the ball and hoping the help defense comes. But after watching Kawhi Leonard go supernova in the fourth quarter and overtime, seeing him hit monster shot after monster shot, in the moment, it's absolutely insane to watch Ennis leave Leonard to go for the other three, and leave Leonard wide open for what could have been the shot to send it to double overtime. 

Fun note, if you're wondering exactly how wide open he got, couple things. 1. JaMychal Green rightly jumps on a great close out, and the Grizzlies switched with Harrison on Aldridge. But Ennis can't see Green leaping so he goes to close. Then, the other help is Harrison, who if Ennis jumps there, can close to the corner. But watch LaMarcus Aldridge here: 

That really is just playoff basketball, that stuff happened all over the place on both ends. Memphis doesn't want a series where that kind of holding is called; they would lose. But that's how a player off-ball helps free up the corner three from the most dangerous player in the game, and once again, Leonard's otherworldly assurance of knocking these key shots down is amazing. 

3. THE FLOATER

Tony Parker cannot be in this game. It's out of a timeout. He's going to be in a mismatch. The Spurs are clearly anticipating a pick and roll and a switch, but Conley recognizes what he's got. Mike Conley has been unleashed in David Fizdale's offense, and it's not just the impact, but the confidence he's instilled. No feed to the post. No grit-grind. Conley, the best player on the Grizzlies, taking an old, undersized point guard to town. He lowers the shoulder but not enough to draw the foul, just enough to get separation, and Parker has no chance here. 

The Spurs don't have a lot of great options, but Danny Green is guarding Vince Carter. There's not really time to get anything else here. Conley, the Grizzlies' best player who had a monster game on his own (and more efficient than Leonard) has Tony Parker on him. 

Tie game, overtime. 

2. THE ALMOST GAME-WINNER

Leonard draws a lot of comparisons to Kobe Bryant. His coaches actually gave him Kobe tape to study. And there's a lot of Jordan to his game. I don't make that comparison quantitatively, it's not that Leonard is as good as Jordan, it's that so many of his moves are similar. His fade-away echoes both of those legendary scoring guards most. Leonard is just too much to handle here. The hard dribble, the pull up, the extension on the fade-away. JaMychal Green, a good defender, has zero chance once he goes to this move. 

In most versions of this movie, this is the game-winner. Leonard caps an incredible fourth with this shot, and the series is basically over. That Memphis had the resiliency to respond is a credit to them, but Leonard making this shot shows he's ready for this moment, in this situation, and he's almost -- see No.10 -- foolproof. Incredible shot. 

1. THE GAME-WINNER

There were about fifteen "game-winners" in this game, shots that should have ended it, 10 from Leonard alone. But Memphis fought and scrapped and gave themselves a chance. 

And Marc Gasol delivered. 

Notes:

  • Guess who's not on the floor for this one? Tony Parker.
  • Guess who's guarding Conley? Danny Green. 
  • Gasol made the play. It's a tough shot. Aldridge contests it well, about as well as a defender of his caliber can, but Gasol just made a great shot. 
  • Leonard starts to help over, but then commits to guarding against the Troy Daniels 3-pointer. Again, Memphis' addition of shooters this season has had a huge impact on their season, and this series. They have legit perimeter threats, and that helps in these moments. 
  • Gasol brings the leg up to create space, which is funny, because Kawhi Leonard drew a foul on him using this exact move in Game 2. This would be classified by what Draymond Green calls "his natural shooting motion." 
  • What a game, what a series, what a playoffs.