Grizzlies at Celtics
The Boston Celtics took care of one of the teams in front of them in the playoff race with a win over the Miami Heat on Monday, but the road only gets more difficult. The Celtics will try to keep moving up the standings when they host the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday. The Grizzlies own the second-best record in the West and are trying to stay within shouting distance of the Golden State Warriors for the top spot.
Boston capped off a 2-1 road trip with a 100-90 win at Miami on Monday and is among five teams fighting for the final two spots in the East. The Celtics are getting a big boost of late from Isaiah Thomas, who has scored 21 or more points in four straight games and averaged 19.7 points in three games against Memphis as a member of the Phoenix Suns earlier this season. The Grizzlies evened their four-game road trip at 1-1 with a 101-91 victory at Chicago on Monday as Marc Gasol outplayed his older brother Pau.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, SportSouth (Memphis), CSN New England (Boston)
ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (45-18): Memphis leads the league in scoring defense and came through when it counted on Monday, holding the Bulls to one field goal over the final 5 1/2 minutes. “We scored offensively, we made some shots … but defense was the key,” Gasol told reporters. “They were able to hit some tough shots, but we were able to contain them and play aggressively on the defensive end.” Gasol dipped to eight points on 2-of-7 shooting in a loss at New Orleans to begin the road trip but went 10-of-16 from the field at Chicago and matched a career high with 32 points in a win over Boston on Nov. 21.
ABOUT THE CELTICS (26-36): Thomas took a tough fall under the basket late in the win on Monday and was getting treatment for his lower back and elbow after the game. The 5-9 point guard, who is considered day-to-day, regularly challenges the bigger players on the interior and is 30-of-34 from the free throw line in the last four games as a reflection of those efforts. Thomas is getting plenty of help on the interior from forward Brandon Bass, who averaged 16.7 points and 10.7 rebounds on the three-game trip.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Memphis has taken five straight in the series and four of its last five trips to Boston.
2. Grizzlies F Jeff Green, who was acquired from the Celtics in January, will be making his first trip back to Boston.
3. Celtics G Avery Bradley (shoulder) has missed the last three games and is questionable for Wednesday.