Lakers at Grizzlies
The availability of All-Star forward LeBron James will be determined close to game time as the Los Angeles Lakers visit the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday. James missed Thursday's 116-86 rout of the host Golden Warriors due to a groin injury and hopes to return as the Lakers seek their eighth straight victory.
Los Angeles played crisp basketball without James and All-Star power forward Anthony Davis was pleased to see the quality of play. "We got to get better at that," Davis told reporters. "Usually when (James is) playing and he comes off the floor, we kind of take a dip in all aspects of the game. Just the way, the same way we played (Thursday) without him, we got to play like that when he's playing but when he's not on the floor." Memphis is mired in a five-game losing streak after suffering a 104-101 home loss to the Sacramento Kings on Friday to see its lead slip to two games over the New Orleans Pelicans for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. "The guys are finding a way. Unfortunately it didn't lead to a win," Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins told reporters after the latest loss. "The resolve and competitiveness from our guys was great."
TIME: 8 p.m. ET. TV: Spectrum SportsNet, FS Southeast
ABOUT THE LAKERS (45-12): Recently acquired forward Markieff Morris is learning the club's way of doing business and he had eight points and four rebounds in 19 minutes against Golden State in his second appearance for Los Angeles. "I think defensively he's getting more comfortable with our coverages, and you saw him knock down two 3s, got him a couple of post touches, another way we can use him," Lakers coach Frank Vogel told reporters of Morris. "I think every minute he's out there with these guys gets him more comfortable." Shooting guard Danny Green (hip) is listed as doubtful so the possibility looms that Los Angeles could be without two starters.
ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (28-31): Shooting guard Dillon Brooks scored a season-best 32 points on 12-of-22 shooting to mark the first time he has shot better than 50 percent all month. Brooks scored 11 or fewer points in six straight games before scoring 22 against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday and was just 34-of-120 shooting over the past eight games prior to Friday's breakout. "He's definitely back. It's a credit to all the work he's been putting in," Jenkins said after Friday's loss. "He's had a great mental state where he's competing his tail off on the defensive end, which has been great, especially when you are having a little bit of a slump offensively."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Lakers are 3-0 against the Grizzlies this season, including a 117-105 home win on Feb. 21.
2. Memphis C Jonas Valanciunas collected a career-high 25 rebounds against the Kings.
3. Los Angeles backup PG Alex Caruso missed all five of his shots versus Golden State after going 13-of-23 over the previous four games.