Grizzlies at Nuggets
THE STORY: Two streaking teams face off when the Denver Nuggets host the Memphis Grizzlies. Denver has won five of its last six games and has a solid chance of sustaining the run in the fourth of a nine-game homestand. Memphis had a five-game winning streak snapped by falling to the Phoenix Suns on Saturday. The loss was only the second in 11 games for the Grizzlies. Memphis is 8-11 on the road.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, SportSouth (Memphis), Altitude (Denver)
ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (23-16): Forward Marreese Speights will soon be giving up his starting gig to Zach Randolph, but he has displayed that he can be counted on as Memphis eyes another playoff run. Speights has scored in double digits in eight of the last 10 games, including each of the last three outings. The fourth-year player was acquired from the Philadelphia 76ers shortly after Randolph injured his knee and is averaging 8.8 points and 6.4 rebounds. The Grizzlies expect Randolph back on the court by the middle of the week.
ABOUT THE NUGGETS (23-18): Guard Arron Afflalo has notched his two highest point totals of the season over the last three games and is playing much better than he did early in the season. Afflalo has eight 20-point outings in the last 15 games after failing to reach 20 even once in his first 23 games. Afflalo scored a career-high 32 points against the Sacramento Kings on March 5 and tallied 28 two games later against the New Orleans Hornets. Afflalo is averaging a career-best 13.7 points.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. Memphis is 2-0 against Denver this season after losing 12 of the previous 14 meetings.
2. Nuggets forward Corey Brewer scored a season-best 26 points in a 103-102 loss to the Grizzlies on Feb. 17.
3. Memphis center Marc Gasol averaged 18.0 and 13.5 rebounds in the two contests against Denver.