Spurs at Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies gave up the top spot in the Western Conference with a loss at Houston on Wednesday and are concerned about the health of star center Marc Gasol. The Grizzlies hope to have Gasol (bone bruise) available when they host the defending champion San Antonio Spurs on Friday. The Spurs had an eight-game winning streak come to an end with a loss in overtime at Brooklyn on Wednesday.
Memphis has won a franchise-record 22 straight regular-season home games but did not get much out of its frontcourt in the 105-96 loss at Houston and is waiting on Gasol, who scored a season-low eight points against the Rockets before an MRI Thursday revealed the bruise in his right knee. The Grizzlies fell into a 94-68 hole after three quarters in Houston as its five-game winning streak came to an end. “They were more aggressive and more athletic,” Memphis coach Dave Joerger told reporters. “They wanted it more and played with a lot of effort. There were not a lot of X’s and O’s.”
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN Southwest (San Antonio), SportSouth (Memphis)
ABOUT THE SPURS (13-5): San Antonio had to scramble to defeat the then-winless Philadelphia 76ers on Monday and fell into a deep hole in the fourth quarter at Brooklyn on Wednesday before falling short in overtime 95-93. “It seemed like we were in mud a little bit in the first half, second half, too,” Danny Green, who scored 20 points against the Nets, told reporters. “We fought, we battled. Now we go in and move forward and fix the mistakes we made tonight for the future.” The Spurs have taken eight in a row from Memphis, including the playoffs.
ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (15-3): Memphis has not suffered a lot of duds in jumping out to the best start in franchise history and is looking to quickly move on from the Houston game. “It was just one of those games,” forward Zach Randolph told reporters. “We had a slow start after we got off to a quick start. We made our first eight or nine starts and we couldn’t hit anymore, and we have to put this game behind us.” With Gasol limited the Grizzlies will need more from Randolph, who slumped to eight points and six rebounds on Wednesday after recording two straight double-doubles.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Spurs F Boris Diaw went 0-for-6 on Wednesday and is shooting 36.7 percent from the floor over his last five games.
2. Randolph averaged 10.8 points on 33.3 percent shooting in four games against San Antonio last season.
3. Memphis rookie PF Jarnell Stokes scored a season-high 12 points on Wednesday and could be in the mix for more minutes if Gasol is unable to play.