Hawks at Grizzlies
The Atlanta Hawks look to follow up an impressive homestand with a road win when they visit the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday. The Hawks went 2-4 after star center Al Horford's season-ending injury before rebounding at home this week with wins over Eastern Conference-leading Indiana and Western Conference standout Houston. Atlanta posted its best defensive effort of the season in an 83-80 triumph over the Rockets on Friday.
Memphis is also surviving without a key player as it has gone 2-1 since a hand injury sidelined guard Tony Allen, who joined center Marc Gasol on the list of absent starters. Point guard Mike Conley picked up the slack with 31 points in a 104-99 victory over Phoenix on Saturday, the team's sixth win in 10 games following a 1-7 stretch. The Hawks swept the two-game series last season and have won three straight in Memphis.
TV: 6 p.m. ET, SportSouth (Atlanta, Memphis)
ABOUT THE HAWKS (20-17): Horford ranks among the franchise's all-time leaders in blocked shots and rebounds, among other categories, but Atlanta has managed to step up its game on the defensive end in his absence. After limiting the Pacers in a 97-87 victory, the Hawks held the usually hot-shooting Rockets to a 41.4 percent mark from the floor while forcing 16 turnovers. Paul Millsap and Kyle Korver scored 20 points apiece as Atlanta survived some poor shooting of its own (37.2 percent) in improving to 14-5 at home.
ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (16-19): When Memphis made its rise last season, it did so largely on the strength of dominance on the glass and some solid interior defense, both of which were aided by the presence of Gasol. Without one of their big men in the fold, forward Ed Davis has begun to step up, recording 10 points and a career-high 17 rebounds against the Suns. Davis has three double-doubles this month after recording just one in his first 30 games and gives the Grizzlies a better chance to weather the storm until Gasol returns, possibly before the month is out.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Hawks PF Mike Scott averaged 14.5 points on 12-of-19 shooting in 17.5 minutes off the bench during the 2-0 homestand.
2. Atlanta entered Saturday ranked fourth in the NBA in 3-point attempts per game (25.3) while Memphis was last (14.2).
3. Memphis is 16-10 against teams outside its division, compared to 0-9 versus divisional opponents.