Grizzlies at Pelicans
Few post players in the NBA can match up with Memphis Grizzlies behemoth Marc Gasol - but the New Orleans Pelicans have a guy who can. Gasol will face off against phenom Anthony Davis as the Grizzlies and Pelicans put their respective three-game winning streaks on the line Wednesday in New Orleans. Memphis is coming off a 109-99 triumph over the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday, while the Pelicans are riding high after outlasting the Denver Nuggets 111-107 in overtime.
Davis has seen his team own Gasol's Grizzlies so far this season, winning all three meetings - including a pair in Memphis. Gasol and Davis both participated in the first of those meetings - a 99-84 defeat back on Nov. 6 - but were out of action for the second as they recovered from injuries. New Orleans prevailed in that one 104-98, and a recovered Davis welcomed Gasol back to good health with 27 points and 10 rebounds on the way to a 95-92 Pelicans triumph on Jan. 20.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, SportSouth (Memphis), FSN New Orleans
ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (37-26): With the FedExForum now the site of the American Athletic Conference tournament, Memphis hits the road Wednesday for the first of three straight. The week-long sojourn is a critical one for the Grizzlies, who are clinging to a Western Conference playoff spot but are an impressive 17-12 away from Memphis as they look to climb further up the standings. The Grizzlies head East following their trip to the Big Easy, taking on the Raptors in Toronto before wrapping things up against the woeful Philadelphia 76ers.
ABOUT THE PELICANS (26-37): New Orleans fans know they're witnessing something special in the evolution of Davis into one of the league's top young power forwards. Davis took the next step toward superstar status against the Nuggets, erupting for a career high-tying 32 points to go along with 17 rebounds and six blocks in one of the best performances by a frontcourt player this season. Davis, who turned 21 on Tuesday, leads the league in blocked shots (2.9) while also averaging 20.6 points (on 52.1 percent shooting) and 10.2 rebounds.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. New Orleans has won five of the last six meetings.
2. Gasol was held to 11 points and one rebound in just over 30 minutes in the first encounter of the season.
3. The Grizzlies are an impressive 8-5 on the tail end of back-to-backs in 2013-14.