Do the Grizzlies stand a chance against the Spurs?

EAST: IND vs. TOR I DET vs. CLE I CHA vs. MIA I BOS vs. ATL
WEST: POR vs. LAC I HOU vs. GS I OKC vs. DAL

The San Antonio Spurs and Memphis Grizzlies aren't strangers.

In addition to squaring off four times each year, the two division rivals have also locked horns twice in the last five playoffs, with each team taking one win apiece.

But with respect to previous battles, these Grizzlies are strangers to everyone - even themselves. Plagued by a biblical rash of injuries, Dave Joerger has shuffled 28 different faces into his rotation before settling on something between the D-League all-stars, and the league's discount bin.

Can the NBA's island of misfit toys cobble together something to throw a scare into the Spurs' ageless juggernaut?

Going small but staying tough

The Grizzlies don't have an advantage at any position, but they can at least try to force Gregg Popovich's hand by downsizing.

By putting out a lineup with four smalls circling an undersized center in Zach Randolph, the Grizzlies are risking getting slaughtered on the glass and on the interior. But the Grizzlies are basically screwed either way, so they might as well space the Spurs' defense out with shooters, and try to capitalize in transition.

That's easier said than done. The Spurs are masters of dictating tempo, and they concede fast-break points at a top-10 rate. But the Grizzlies basically have absolutely no hope of generating enough offense in half-court sets, so they might as well gamble for steals and hope to get lucky.

Bait the unblinking

It's not the most elegant way to play basketball, but the Grizzlies need to get under the Spurs' skin. With a seemingly endless line of agitators to pick from, the Grizzlies should try their best to bait the Spurs within the limits of the rules.

Again, it won't be easy. The AARP Big Three have seen it all through a dozen playoff runs, and Kawhi Leonard might actually be incapable of experiencing human emotion, but that will be put to the test with the likes of Lance Stephenson, Matt Barnes, and Chris Andersen batting down the doors.

If the Spurs somehow get dragged into a dogfight, the odds could swing.

The element of surprise

Is Jarnell Stokes a threat to score? Can Xavier Munford shoot? Is Jordan Adams a capable defender?

The honest truth is that nobody quite knows. Save for delving through grainy footage of D-League battles against subpar competition, there's no way to accurately scout some of the Grizzlies' players, and that might come in handy.

Again, there's no secret superstar hiding on the bench for Memphis, but that element of surprise can work against the Spurs. There's almost nothing for the Spurs to scout, and that could cause confusion for a team that relies so heavily on thorough preparation.