Nets at Grizzlies
By the time the Brooklyn Nets have the core of their team together and healthy again, they may find themselves so far out of playoff contention that they can't salvage the season. The Nets continue their free fall down the Eastern Conference standings as they gear up for a game against the host Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday night. Brooklyn is coming off a one-sided loss in Houston, and will be in tough against one of the top defensive teams in the league.
Brooklyn is still without point guard Deron Williams, shooting guard Jason Terry and small forward Andrei Kirilenko, with timetables for all three players still up in the air. Center Brook Lopez returned from an ankle injury to score 16 points against the Rockets, but he would have needed a whole bunch more to counter a Houston team that erupted for 19 3-pointers. The Grizzlies haven't played since posting a 100-93 triumph over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, NBATV, YES (Brooklyn)
ABOUT THE NETS (4-12): It hasn't been a great week for Brooklyn head coach Jason Kidd. His faux-accidental drink spill during Wednesday's loss to the Los Angeles Lakers earned him a $50,000 fine, and made him the butt of jokes around the league. On the court, the Nets haven't looked good of late and struggled to shoot just 6-for-22 from beyond the arc against the Rockets. Forward Kevin Garnett should be in the lineup Saturday after sitting out Friday's game to rest.
ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (8-7): Memphis has used a top-5 scoring defense to mask what has been a below-average offense through the first month of the season. The Grizzlies have three players averaging 16 points per game, but one of them - center Marc Gasol - is expected to miss the next few months with a sprained MCL and no other player averages more than 10.2 points. Memphis is dead last in average 3-pointers made (4.3) and attempted (13.6).
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Memphis has won the last three meetings, limiting Brooklyn to an average of 83 points over that span.
2. Lopez averages 15.6 points in eight career games versus the Grizzlies.
3. Like Garnett on Friday, Nets SF Paul Pierce may be given Saturday night off to rest as Brooklyn looks to avoid having them play back-to-backs. Pierce didn't play the second half against Houston and finished with two points in just under 15 minutes.