Bucks at Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies are playing nothing but tight games of late and are pulling most of them out thanks to solid defensive execution down the stretch. The Grizzlies will try to pick up their sixth win in the last seven games when they host the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday.
Memphis needed overtime to dispatch the Orlando Magic on Monday but held them to 1-of-10 from the floor in the extra period to pull out a 108-102 triumph. “Basically, all five guys locked in defensively and held our heads on the defensive end and stuck to our coverage,” Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger told reporters. “We did everything just a little bit harder, and down the stretch we were aggressive on the defensive end.” The Bucks took advantage of slumping Orlando to earn a 107-100 victory on Tuesday in coach Jason Kidd’s return from hip surgery. "I felt great," Kidd told reporters. "I was happy to be back and hopefully I didn't mess the guys up tonight.”
TV: 8 p.m. ET, FSN Wisconsin (Milwaukee), FSN Southeast (Memphis)
ABOUT THE BUCKS (20-27): Milwaukee has won four of its last six games and is getting a strong contribution from guard Khris Middleton, who has scored over 20 points in each of those six contests. Middleton had 25 points on Tuesday but got credit from Kidd for one of his seven assists that helped seal the win down the stretch. "Down at the end Khris made some great plays, getting to the free-throw line and then running the play at the end,” Kidd told reporters. “Not that Khris shot it, he made a play for a teammate and (Jerryd) Bayless made the shot."
ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (26-20): Memphis’ last six games have been decided by an average of four points, and the team is getting contributions from several different players of late. Inconsistent forward Jeff Green had his chance to step up on Tuesday and responded with a season-high 30 points on 11-of-18 shooting. “We've talked about it before but when a guy gets a couple offensive rebounds, gets to the foul line a couple times, gets a couple in transition then you throw down a dunk and are just being aggressive it really charges up our whole team,” Joerger told reporters in reference to Green. “That’s the thing – it certainly affects him but it affects our whole team.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Memphis F Zach Randolph (16,222) needs 42 points to move into 100th place on the all-time list.
2. Milwaukee G O.J. Mayo (hamstring) has missed the last five games and is day-to-day.
3. The home team took each of the two meetings last season.