Grizzlies at Magic
The Memphis Grizzlies took a few games to find their rhythm when they started getting key players back into the lineup, but it looks like they've figured things out of late. The Grizzlies will try to push their winning streak to three straight when they visit the Orlando Magic on Monday to kick off a string of eight of 10 on the road.
Memphis got Mike Conley, James Ennis and Chandler Parsons back in the rotation within the last five games and Vince Carter two weeks ago, and is beginning to gel. "We’re starting to get some guys in some rhythm and I think that’s helping," Grizzlies coach David Fizdale told reporters after a 115-109 win over the Houston Rockets on Friday. "Guys are getting some minutes under them. Z-Bo (Zach Randolph) is seeming to find his groove a little bit again. James Ennis is finding his rhythm and obviously, old Vince Carter keeps reinventing himself." The Magic are trying to find their top form and traded wins and losses over the last seven games, including a 109-90 home win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday. "It’s baffling that we haven't won more at home, but I think those things will iron themselves out as the season goes along," Orlando coach Frank Vogel told reporters. "I think we’ll finish with a plus-.500 record, probably a big-time plus-.500 record here. I feel like we have great fans and I’d like to see them get louder. Hopefully, we give them reasons to cheer."
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Southeast (Memphis), FSN Florida (Orlando)
ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (20-12): Memphis won both games since the return of Parsons, who played in only eight games this season and sat out over a month with a knee injury before returning on Wednesday. Parsons is 3-of-12 from the field in those two games and was limited to 15 minutes in each. "I think every game I start getting a little bit better," Parsons told reporters. "I’m still getting really tired but these are all shots I’m eventually going to make. I’ve been through this process before. The key is just to not get down and continue to build and continue to get in better shape. It’s promising to me that I’m getting in the lane and I’m getting by guys. Now I’ve just got to finish."
ABOUT THE MAGIC (14-18): Orlando's win over the Lakers came after a 106-95 loss at New York the previous night, and the defensive effort from the start was better on Friday. Serge Ibaka and Bismack Biyombo anchored the defensive and totaled eight blocked shots. "Those guys, at their best, are elite rim protectors and both of them out there together you have the potential to do that," Vogel told reporters. "We set a record for nine blocks in a first quarter, that probably means we set a record for nine blow-bys in the first quarter. Maybe that’s a franchise record, too. But our guys just really came out with a great energy to start the game and they really followed the plan."
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Ennis is 4-of-6 from 3-point range in the last two games.
2. Orlando SG Evan Fournier (heel), the team's leading scorer, sat out Friday and is day-to-day.
3. Memphis took 10 of the last 11 in the series, including a 95-94 home triumph on Dec. 1.