Lakers at Grizzlies
A banged-up Memphis Grizzlies squad will try to patch together another victory with a makeshift lineup when they host the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday. Due to injuries to several key players and a personal leave for forward Zach Randolph, the Grizzlies have been able to dress just nine players in each of their last two games, including Thursday's 95-94 win over Orlando.
"The Nasty Nine," as coach David Fizdale has dubbed his remaining healthy players, will be all that's available on Saturday as well, leaving the burden on holdovers Marc Gasol and Tony Allen. Gasol scored 25 points against Orlando and Allen was a force on the defensive end for Memphis, which entered Friday ranked fifth in the NBA in scoring defense (98.3 points) and third in field-goal percentage defense (42.3). The Lakers will be hard-pressed to challenge those numbers after another sluggish performance in Friday's 113-80 loss at Toronto. Like the Grizzlies, they are short in key spots - especially the backcourt, where D'Angelo Russell remains out with a knee issue and Nick Young is just two games into his recovery from a calf injury that could take up to four weeks.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, Spectrum Sportsnet (Los Angeles), FSN Southeast (Memphis)
ABOUT THE LAKERS (10-11): Only one starter - Brandon Ingram (17 points) - scored in double figures against the Raptors as Los Angeles fell for the sixth time in nine games. The Lakers have been held under 90 points in three of their last five contests after going 14 consecutive games with at least 96. Reserve guard Louis Williams remains one of the few constants with nine straight double-digit scoring efforts, but he is shooting 34.8 percent over the last five games while making 6-of-26 3-pointers.
ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (12-8): A key contributor during this injury-plagued stretch has been reserve guard Troy Daniels, who has scored 19 points in each of the last two games while shooting a combined 12-of-21 and making 7-of-13 3-pointers. The hot streak stands out even more when compared to Daniels' rocky start this season, as the fourth-year pro made four of his first 28 shots over a span of seven contests. Rookie point guard Andrew Harrison has stepped in for the injured Mike Conley to start the last two games and is averaging 16 points and six assists.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Conley (back), F Chandler Parsons (knee), G Vince Carter (hip), F James Ennis (calf) and Randolph (personal) make up the list of sidelined regulars for Memphis.
2. The Grizzlies have won five straight home meetings with the Lakers.
3. Gasol is averaging 22.5 points on 57.6 percent shooting over his last four games.