Spurs at Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies will be a well-rested team when they return home after a solid six-game road trip to face the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night. Leading scorer Marc Gasol, along with Tony Allen and Chandler Parsons, all sat out Saturday’s 107-99 victory at Minnesota as the Grizzlies finished their trip 4-2 after losing the opener of the trek in Portland.
JaMychal Green stepped up with a career-high 29 points and point guard Mike Conley added 20 for Memphis, which is 16-9 at home and owns sixth place in the Western Conference. “Guys on our roster have showed that when we’re down, they can step into the role and win games,” Grizzlies coach David Fizdale told reporters. “I have a ton of confidence in these guys.” Memphis will have to be at its best against San Antonio, which stands second in the West after winning three straight games following its second losing streak (two) of the season. The Spurs, who open a season-long, eight-game road stretch that straddles the All-Star break, rolled over Denver 121-97 on Saturday and have given up just 92.3 points per game during their current streak.
TV: 9:30 p.m. ET, TNT, FSN Southwest (San Antonio)
ABOUT THE SPURS (39-11): Saturday was throwback night for San Antonio, which got a season-high 18 points from Manu Ginobili and fellow veteran guard Tony Parker also scored 18 on 8-of-8 shooting from the field. Parker, 34, is averaging 11.1 points and a team-high 4.7 assists while the 39-year-old Ginobili adds 8.1 points per game - playing 43 of the team’s 50 contests. Kawhi Leonard continues to state his case for being in the MVP conversation, averaging a team-high 25.3 points - scoring at least 19 in 14 straight outings - and shooting 90.2 percent from the free-throw line.
ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (31-22): Gasol needed rest after scoring 31 points in 42 minutes at Oklahoma City on Friday and registered at least 22 in 11 of his last 16 contests to lead the team overall (21.0). Conley (19.2 points, 6.2 assists) and forward Zach Randolph (14.2, team-best 8.3 rebounds) are the only other players averaging in double figures while Allen, a defensive specialist, adds 9.4. Memphis will need more from Parsons, who is shooting just 35.9 percent from the field and averaging 6.7 points after scoring 13.7 per contest last season with Dallas.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The Spurs have won nine consecutive meetings, including the four-game sweep in the Western Conference quarterfinals last season.
2. Memphis came into Sunday third in the league in field goal percentage defense (43.7) - one spot ahead of the Spurs (44.3).
3. San Antonio SG Jonathon Simmons is 10-for-18 from the field and averaging 14.5 points over the last two games off the bench.