Grizzlies at Lakers
The Memphis Grizzlies won the first part of a home-and-home with Los
Angeles and look to defeat the host Lakers for the ninth consecutive
time when they meet on Friday. The Grizzlies set a season high for
points scored and 3-point baskets (17) while speeding to a 128-119
victory over the Lakers on Wednesday in Memphis.
The Grizzlies are opting to quicken the pace due to center Marc Gasol being lost for the season with a broken right foot. It paid off in Wednesday's game as small forward Matt Barnes scored a season-best 25 points while point guard Mike Conley had an all-around stellar game with 24 points, eight assists and six rebounds. "We're taking the wide-open shot. We're not just settling," Conley said afterward. "I think everybody's having a lot of fun. And, as you can see, when you have fun, we put up points." The Lakers have dropped seven straight games and aren't playing a lot of defense - they have allowed an average of 120.2 over the past five contests.
TV: 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, TWC SportsNet (Los Angeles)
ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (33-23): Memphis preferred a deliberate pace that fed into the styles of Gasol and power forward Zach Randolph, so pushing the tempo is a radical departure for a team that is attempting to make the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season. Six players scored in double digits and the Grizzlies shot 56.5 percent from the field while scoring 30 or more points in each quarter to take advantage of one of the NBA's worst teams. "We felt like we should be able to beat the Lakers, especially at home," Conley told reporters. "And that's what we did."
ABOUT THE LAKERS (11-48): Rookie point guard D'Angelo Russell produced 22 points and a season-best eight assists in Wednesday's loss in his third game since returning to the starting lineup. Russell started the first 20 games of the season before coach Byron Scott turned him into a reserve and Scott decided Sunday that Russell will be a starter for the remainder of the season. "I feel like earlier in the year, I probably was given that starting spot and didn't have to work for it," Russell told reporters after Wednesday's game. "I don't really know about now, if I worked for it or whatnot, but I'm not going to try to give (Scott) a reason to bench me again.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Lakers SF Kobe Bryant has struggled in two games against the Grizzlies this season, averaging 16 points on 11-of-29 shooting.
2. Memphis SF P.J. Hairston scored 17 points on Wednesday after having just two in each of his first two games upon being acquired from the Charlotte Hornets.
3. Los Angeles SG Jordan Clarkson made six 3-pointers while scoring 28 points on Wednesday and is averaging 21 points over the past five games.