Grizzlies at Lakers
The Memphis Grizzlies have clinched a playoff berth for the seventh straight time but they still have some work to do and could use a win Sunday at the Los Angeles Lakers. A 99-90 victory over Dallas on Friday secured the postseason berth for the Grizzlies, who also inched to within 1 1/2 games of sixth-place Oklahoma City in the Western Conference.
Moving up a spot would give Memphis a chance to avoid a likely first-round matchup with San Antonio, but after the latest victory the squad was content to simply bask in the organization's continued success. "It seems so long ago that this time of the year didn't mean anything to us," guard Mike Conley told the media after a 28-point showing. "It's a heck of an accomplishment to have it seven years in a row." Aside from a road game against the Spurs on Tuesday, the Grizzlies have a pretty favorable stretch run that includes a four-game homestand that begins with a visit from Oklahoma City. Sunday's contest is one of the more winnable games on paper, but the Lakers - who have dropped four straight overall - have taken two of the last three meetings and won 116-102 when Memphis visited Staples Center on Jan. 3
TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, FSN Southeast (Memphis), Spectrum SportsNet (Los Angeles)
ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (42-34): Veteran big man Zach Randolph received loads of praise after recording 22 points and 12 rebounds against Dallas. "It has been seamless," coach David Fizdale said of Randolph's move to the bench this season. "He has never bickered once to the press – not one time. You can go back through every paper, article or anything and he never complained. There were days when he was frustrated. He just stayed with it, and he's embraced it." Randolph is averaging 17.8 points and 9.5 boards in the last four games to help pick up the slack with center Marc Gasol sidelined with a foot injury.
ABOUT THE LAKERS (21-55): Guard D'Angelo Russell had been on a hot streak for much of March, but he's hit a bit of a wall, first shooting 4-of-14 in Thursday's loss at Minnesota and then suffering through a two-point showing in a 115-104 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday. He missed his first eight shots - including six 3-pointers - before a bucket with under two minutes left to avoid the first scoreless game not involving an injury of his two-year career. David Nwaba came off the bench to score a career-high 19 points against the Clippers while rookie Brandon Ingram (knee) returned from a two-game absence to produce 18.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Russell hit 6-of-9 3-pointers for all 18 of his points in the previous meeting.
2. Grizzlies G Troy Daniels scored 21 points on 7-of-13 shooting against Dallas after shooting 7-for-30 over his previous three contests.
3. Los Angeles is 6-22 in the second half of back-to-backs.