Grizzlies at Jazz
Memphis center Marc Gasol isn't operating at the efficient pace of last
season's career-best 17.4 scoring average but has strung together seven
good efforts entering Saturday's road game against the Utah Jazz. Gasol
is matching last season's scoring performance during the hot stretch and
registered 23 points, eight rebounds, six assists and four steals in
Tuesday's 99-90 overtime victory over the Miami Heat.
Gasol is averaging 16.4 points this season and he scored seven points in the extra session against Miami to help the Grizzlies land the victory. "Marc playing like that is big," power forward Zach Randolph told reporters. "He's our catalyst. How he goes is how we go." Utah tied a franchise record by making 15 3-pointers in a 109-96 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday. Jazz power forward Derrick Favors (back) has missed four consecutive games but is making strides and could be cleared to play against the Grizzlies.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, FSN Southeast (Memphis), ROOT (Utah)
ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (18-16): Small forward Matt Barnes will sit out the final contest of a two-game suspension for an offseason altercation with New York Knicks coach Derek Fisher. The punishment gave an opportunity for Randolph to return to the starting lineup and he contributed 17 points on 7-of-10 shooting and seven rebounds. Randolph is 14-of-18 from the field over the last two games and is averaging 16.2 points over the past five contests.
ABOUT THE JAZZ (14-17): Point guard Trey Burke is averaging 25 points over the past two games and scored a season-high 27 in the win over Portland. Burke was 12-of-19 shooting against the Trail Blazers and he is being asked by coach Quin Snyder to pick up some of the scoring slack with backup shooting guard Alec Burks sidelined with a broken leg. "He just told me if I miss a few shots, he still wants me to play the right way," Burke told reporters. "But he wants me to still be aggressive. Don't get down on myself or get discouraged. In the past, sometimes I may have let that get to me."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Burke had 24 points and a season-high six 3-pointers as the Jazz posted an 89-79 home win over the Grizzlies on Nov. 7.
2. Utah SF Gordon Hayward had 23 points and 10 rebounds against Portland for his second double-double of the season.
3. Memphis PG Mike Conley is averaging 19 points and two steals over the past seven games.