Bulls at Grizzlies
After picking up another big road win against a Western Conference power, the Memphis Grizzlies will try to hold court against a middle-of-the-pack Eastern Conference foe when they host the Chicago Bulls on Sunday. A week after their dramatic comeback win at Golden State, the Grizzlies rallied again on Friday to hand Houston its fourth home loss of the season.
The 110-105 victory gave Memphis a combined 4-0 record versus the high-powered Warriors and Rockets and a 17-8 mark against the talented West. "I think we get up for the good teams somehow and seem to lay eggs when we feel like we should win games," guard Mike Conley told reporters. "We've just got to come with a better mindset for games that we feel like we should win." The Grizzlies will be expected to win against a Bulls squad that is playing the second half of a back-to-back set, having snapped a three-game slide with a 107-99 triumph over New Orleans on Saturday. Jimmy Butler (illness) returned from a two-game absence to produce 28 points for Chicago.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, ESPN, WGN (Chicago)
ABOUT THE BULLS (20-21): In an otherwise inconsistent season, Chicago has been steady on the glass, and it thrived in that department against the Pelicans. Taj Gibson secured a season-high 16 boards and the team recorded 21 on the offensive end - its most in nearly a year - with big man Robin Lopez grabbing nine of them. Veteran Dwyane Wade has scored 22 points in each of his last three games but will sit this one out to rest, likely giving the start to Jerian Grant.
ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (25-17): Guard Tony Allen followed up back-to-back two-point efforts with a season-high 22 in the win over the Rockets, shooting 9-of-10 to lead a season-high 53.9-percent effort by Memphis, which trailed by 13 at the break. "(Coach David Fizdale) told guys we need to stop lying to ourselves," Allen told reporters of the discussion at halftime. "We were not playing hard ... and guys took it to heart the second half, and you could tell by the way we played down the stretch." Conley scored 17 points and is averaging 20.4 along with 9.6 assists over a five-game span.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Butler also collected eight rebounds, six assists and four steals in Saturday's win.
2. Grizzlies F Zach Randolph has recorded three of his nine double-doubles over his last four games.
3. Chicago is 3-6 in the second half of back-to-backs.