Grizzlies at Pistons
The Memphis Grizzlies are about to play the second half of a back-to-back but spent the first half looking like a team without energy. The Grizzlies will try to bounce back from a 37-point loss when they visit the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday.
Memphis had won nine of 12 before getting run over 125-88 by the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday while shooting 40.7 percent from the field. The Grizzlies had only one starter – Marc Gasol with 11 points – score in double figures and starting point guard Mike Conley went scoreless in 22 minutes in the debacle. The Pistons can somewhat relate, coming off a lackluster offensive performance in a 104-84 loss at Charlotte that snapped a four-game winning streak. “Might as well have not got on the plane,” reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week Reggie Jackson told reporters. “We’ve just got to find a way to compete.”
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FSN Southeast (Memphis), FSN Detroit
ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (12-10): Memphis allowed an average of 96.1 points in its previous nine games before allowing the Thunder to shoot 56 percent from the field. Conley has struggled with his shot at times in the first quarter of the season and again finds himself in a rut, with Tuesday’s 0-of-7 effort dropping him to 9-of-34 in the last three games. Backup Mario Chalmers is picking up some of the slack and finished with a team-high 19 points on Tuesday to hit double figures for the fourth straight game.
ABOUT THE PISTONS (12-10): Detroit believes it has the pieces to compete in the East if it can find a way to compete on a game-to-game basis. “It’s embarrassing. It’s frustrating as well, but it’s embarrassing,” Jackson told reporters. “We talk about we want to be somewhere special, but we’ve got to grow up. You’ve got to be who you’re going to be in this league every day, night-in and night-out. It’ll put you in the best position to win games.” Jackson is including himself in that statement and slumped to four points against Charlotte after averaging 27 during the previous four games.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Pistons C Andre Drummond grabbed nine rebounds on Monday, marking just the second time this season he failed to hit double figures.
2. Grizzlies PF Zach Randolph is shooting 35.8 percent from the floor in five games since returning from a knee injury.
3. Detroit snapped a 10-game losing streak in the series with a 105-95 home triumph on Mar. 17.