Pistons at Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies have been unable to find a sustained level of
success and forward Jeff Green is becoming the focus of the club's
issues. Green was benched for the entire second half of Tuesday's 107-91
loss to the Houston Rockets while playing a season-low 15 minutes and
it is unclear whether he will be in the starting lineup for Thursday's
home game against the Detroit Pistons.
Green, who is averaging just 10.4 points and shooting 40.1 percent from the field, has scored in single digits in four of the past six games and coach Dave Joerger apparently has seen enough. "That's my decision for various reasons but I'm not going to go into it," Joerger told reporters after the benching. "It wasn't a disciplinary thing at all." Detroit is aiming to bounce back from Tuesday's 109-99 loss to the San Antonio Spurs after winning four of its previous five games. Guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 25 points and has tallied 20 or more in three of the past four contests.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN Detroit, FSN Southeast (Memphis)
ABOUT THE PISTONS (21-17): Center Andre Drummond might be on his way to the All-Star Game but he has found himself sitting on the bench late in the fourth quarter in two of the past three games due to his poor free-throw shooting. Drummond is an awful 6-of-33 from the line over the past six games and is shooting a woeful 35.8 percent for the campaign. "We can't play hoping we get one point out of a possession," Detroit coach Stan Van Gundy explained to reporters. "He was 1-for-6. Over the last five or six games he's shooting (18.2) percent. He doesn't leave me a choice. That's just the way it goes."
ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (21-19): The benching of Green became more pronounced as it occurred during a game in which Memphis was already shorthanded with point guard Mike Conley (Achilles) sitting out for the fourth straight game and small forward Matt Barnes (thumb) also sidelined. The move also opened the door for power forward Zach Randolph to start the second half - a reminder of Joerger's controversial decision to make Randolph a reserve behind Green earlier this season. Randolph only scored 10 points against the Rockets after scoring 24 or more points in three of the previous four games.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Grizzlies have won 11 of the past 12 meetings, including a 93-92 road victory on Dec. 9, when Barnes made a half-court shot with 1.1 seconds remaining.
2. Pistons SF Marcus Morris (knee) returned from a one-game absence and had just four points on 1-of-6 shooting against San Antonio.
3. Randolph, who had 21 points and 16 rebounds against Detroit last month, has corralled 8,975 career rebounds and surpassed NBA legend Larry Bird (8,974) to move into 50th place on the all-time rebounding list.