Hawks at Grizzlies
The Atlanta Hawks just got done taking out the best team in the Western Conference and will try to do the same when it visits the second-best in the West, the Memphis Grizzlies, on Sunday. The Hawks buried 15-of-27 from 3-point range and put seven players in double figures in a 124-116 win over the Golden State Warriors on Friday to improve to 14-3 against the Western Conference. The Grizzlies served as one of those 14 victims in a 96-86 decision on Jan. 7.
Memphis had an eight-game winning streak come to an end with a 90-89 loss at Minnesota on Friday while squandering a seven-point lead with under two minutes left. Standout forward Zach Randolph, who missed the first meeting while recovering from a knee injury, will be looking for a bounce-back game against the Atlanta front line after going for a season-low six points against the Timberwolves. “It's just one of them nights,” Randolph told reporters. “We've got to forgot about it. We've got a big game Sunday versus the best team in the East, we've got to be ready.”
TV: 6 p.m. ET, SportSouth (Atlanta, Memphis)
ABOUT THE HAWKS (42-9): All five of Atlanta’s starters were named the Player of the Month in the NBA for January and all five reached double figures against the Warriors, led by Jeff Teague’s 23 points. “To have a group of guys like this - nobody cares who gets the glory,” forward DeMarre Carroll told reporters. “You don't come across teams like this. I think that's the beauty of our team - we don't care.” Carroll was one of six players to knock down at least one 3-pointer in the win and is 10-of-20 from the field in three games since returning from a strained left Achilles.
ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (37-13): Memphis shot 52.6 percent from the field in Minnesota but turned the ball over 18 times and got outrebounded 43-30. “They deserved to win because they played harder,” Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger told reporters. “We stood around and watched. They went and got loose balls and made plays. We stood around and watched and we did that the whole game.” Marc Gasol was held to three rebounds in the loss and is averaging five boards in three games this month.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Grizzlies G Mike Conley is 21-of-39 from the field over the last three games.
2. Hawks G Kyle Korver has hit at least four 3-pointers in four of the last seven games.
3. Memphis (95.9) and Atlanta (96.9) both rank in the top four in the NBA in scoring defense.