Grizzlies at Celtics
Despite being severely shorthanded, the Memphis Grizzlies opened a challenging two-game road trip with a win over the top team in the Eastern Conference. They will try to make it two in a row against the East's elites when they visit the Boston Celtics - who have won 13 straight at home - on Wednesday.
A day after the Celtics fell by 17 points at Cleveland, the Grizzlies - while missing four starters - stormed in and knocked off the Cavaliers to pick up their 19th win in 25 games and solidify their hold on the fifth seed in the West. "This is big time for us," Vince Carter - who hit four free throws in the closing moments - told reporters. "We had a lot of guys out." The Celtics, who enter this one clinging to third in the East by a half-game over Miami, were mostly healthy in their 120-103 loss, giving up more points in regulation than they have in all but three other games this season. Isaiah Thomas stayed hot with 27 points on 9-of-15 shooting but his fellow starters were 18-of-44 from the floor as Boston saw its five-game winning streak come to an end.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, ESPN, CSN New England (Boston)
ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (38-25): Tony Allen returned from a knee injury to score a season-high 26 points in the surprising win over Cleveland, as Memphis survived without starters Mike Conley, Zach Randolph, Chris Andersen and Matt Barnes. Conley (foot) is unlikely to play Wednesday while Randolph (knee) is questionable, which could leave plenty on the plates of Mario Chalmers and JaMychal Green. Chalmers scored 17 points while starting in place of Conley while Green stepped in for Randolph and recorded his second career double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
ABOUT THE CELTICS (38-26): Thomas is averaging 29.7 points on 58 percent shooting over a three-game span and has put forth a phenomenal run of mistake-free basketball with zero turnovers in 100 minutes during that stretch. The Grizzlies are well aware of the All-Star's scoring prowess, as Thomas produced 35 points in the first meeting this season (a 101-98 win for Memphis). Center Kelly Olynyk, the team's top 3-point shooter (41.3 percent), has resumed practice as he works his way back from a shoulder injury but there is still no timetable for his return.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Randolph scored 25 points and grabbed 13 boards to lead the Grizzlies in the first encounter Jan. 10 in Memphis.
2. Celtics C Jared Sullinger has at least 10 rebounds in nine of his last 11 games.
3. Memphis F P.J. Hairston is 6-of-27 from the floor and 1-of-12 from 3-point range in March.