Grizzlies at Pelicans
Depth is becoming a major strength for the New Orleans Pelicans as they prepare to host the injury-plagued Memphis Grizzlies on Friday. The Pelicans won their second overtime game in the last four contests on Wednesday and are 3-2 since second-leading scorer Anthony Davis was injured. Sharp-shooting Ryan Anderson is averaging 25 points in December for New Orleans, which battles a Memphis squad that has won five straight on the road but lost seven of the last nine at home.
The Grizzlies lost Quincy Pondexter (foot) for the season, will be without second-leading scorer Marc Gasol (knee) indefinitely and two other players from the rotation have missed time of late. The Pelicans have won seven of their last 11 contests and boast six players averaging in double figures scoring, including Davis. New Orleans was 5-15 after 20 games last season and it looks to climb over the .500 mark for the second time in 2013-14.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, SportSouth (Memphis), FSN New Orleans
ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (10-11): Memphis was seventh in scoring defense (97) overall but has yielded an average of 108.3 in its last three losses. Key defensive stopper Tony Allen (hip contusion) missed the last four games while power forward Ed Davis (ankle) has been out for three of those and both are considered day-to-day. Mike Conley leads the Grizzlies in scoring (17.7) and assists (6.4) on the perimeter and 6-9 Zach Randolph (15.9 points) has double-doubles in two of the last four games.
ABOUT THE PELICANS (10-10): Anderson had eight of his 22 points in overtime to help New Orleans outlast Detroit 111-106 on Wednesday and 7-0 Jason Smith finished with 22 points and a career-high 16 rebounds. Pelicans’ coach Monty Williams called Smith a “monster” as he continued to help pick up the slack for Davis, who is out until January with a broken hand. Guards Eric Gordon (15.9) and Jrue Holiday (15.4) consistently produce offensively while backcourt mate Tyreke Evans (11.9) is coming through off the bench.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Holiday averages eight assists, matching last season’s total with Philadelphia, and is tied for fifth in the league through Wednesday.
2. Memphis 7-0 C Kosta Koufos is averaging 11.5 rebounds over the last eight games since Gasol went down with a knee injury.
3. New Orleans has won three of the last four against the Grizzlies, including a 99-84 triumph at Memphis on Nov. 6.