Grizzlies at Raptors
The Memphis Grizzlies look to win their NBA-leading 11th game when they hit the road to face the Toronto Raptors in a battle of division leaders Wednesday. The Grizzlies have reeled off four straight victories — including a 119-93 win over the Houston Rockets on Monday — to take sole possession of first place in the Southwest Division. Memphis is off to its best start in franchise history and hopes to keep the momentum going by avenging two double-digit defeats to the Raptors last season.
Toronto bounced back from its loss to the Chicago Bulls with a 111-93 win over the Utah Jazz on Saturday. The Raptors hold a healthy four-game lead in the Atlantic Division, but will have their hands full with the Grizzlies, who have won four of the past five matchups at Air Canada Centre. "We did some things to work on Memphis," coach Dwane Casey admitted. "They are the typical Memphis, grind it out, grimy team that we have to get ready mentally for."
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, TSN (Toronto), SportSouth (Memphis)
ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (10-1): Mike Conley scored 19 points and dished out six assists to lead seven players in double figures in the blowout win over Houston. "I'm happy that we played well for four quarters," Conley told reporters. "When we're all in sync like that, we're going to have games like this." Zach Randolph is fifth in the NBA in rebounding with 11.2 per game and has grabbed 61 in his last five outings, including a season-high 22 against the Pistons on Saturday.
ABOUT THE RAPTORS (8-2): DeMar DeRozan bounced back from his worst outing of the season against the Bulls to score a game-high 27 points in the win over the Jazz. James Johnson — who has been the team's best defender — suffered a severe ankle sprain in the fourth quarter against Utah and is out indefinitely. Jonas Valanciunas was a force on both ends of the floor Saturday, scoring 17 points — after managing just 12 in his previous two games — to go along with a season-high 14 rebounds.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Raptors are 6-1 at home while the Grizzlies are 4-1 on the road.
2. Toronto has won 32 straight games when leading after three quarters.
3. Randolph has recorded seven double-doubles in 11 games this season.