Clippers at Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies hope to have guard Tony Allen back in the mix when they continue a push toward a playoff spot with a home game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday. Allen has been out since Jan. 3 with a hand injury, forcing the Grizzlies to forge ahead without a defensive stopper and one of their complimentary scorers. The club has not suffered, however, going 16-5 in Allen's absence and running its current win streak to three with a 98-93 win over New York on Tuesday.
The Clippers had their own three-game run snapped in a 113-103 loss to San Antonio on Tuesday, capping of a 3-2 homestand that bridged the All-Star break. All-Star point guard Chris Paul struggled mightily in his first game following the break, going 1-for-10 from the field in 38 minutes. The road team has won the first two meetings, with Paul and two others scoring 15 points in a 101-81 win over the Grizzlies - who were without Allen and center Marc Gasol - in the most recent encounter Dec. 5 at Memphis.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, Prime Ticket (Los Angeles), SportSouth (Memphis)
ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (37-19): Los Angeles made a pair of smaller moves at the deadline by shipping veteran reserve Antawn Jamison to Atlanta and backup center Byron Mullens to Philadelphia, but they did not pull the trigger on something larger, despite kicking the tires on Knicks guard Iman Shumpert. Roster spots have been opened up and a signing could be in the works to add depth to a team whose starters average 33.1 minutes, the sixth-highest mark in the league. Blake Griffin has shown no signs of slowing down as he paces the squad in minutes played, averaging 33.9 points and 11.1 rebounds this month.
ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (30-23): Allen's potential return comes one game after the more significant comeback of point guard Mike Conley, who had 22 points in the win over the Knicks after missing the final seven games before the break with an ankle injury. Conley showed rust early on before producing 16 points in the second half and 10 in the final six minutes to spark a late rally. The return of the Grizzlies floor general also provided a boost for veteran swingman Mike Miller, who scored a season-high 19 points and hit a key 3-pointer in the final minute.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Memphis is 8-11 at home against the West.
2. Conley is averaging 11.4 points in 21 career games against the Clippers, his lowest mark against any NBA team.
3. Griffin had 14 points - at the time a season low - in the previous encounter with the Grizzlies.