Grizzlies at Hawks
The Memphis Grizzlies are trying to find their way while surrounding center Marc Gasol with a plethora of young players, and the win column is proving difficult to enter. The Grizzlies will try to avoid being swept on a four-game road trip when they visit the Atlanta Hawks for the finale on Tuesday.
Memphis dropped games at Indiana and Detroit by a total of six points to begin the trip and was hanging right with the Toronto Raptors through three quarters on Sunday before going 3-of-22 from the floor in the final frame and absorbing a 101-86 setback. "We did some things right obviously but to win the game we have to do a lot more, especially in crucial times," Gasol told reporters. "You have to get stops on the man, you have to be able to execute your schemes defensively and offensively. We were right there, we have been right there for a couple games now and now we have to learn how to win not just be in the game." While the Grizzlies struggle to stay off the bottom in the Western Conference, the Hawks are trying to stay clear of the basement in the East. Atlanta edged the New York Knicks 99-96 on Sunday to earn their second win in four games and move into 14th place in the East entering play on Monday.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FS Southeast (Memphis, Atlanta)
ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (18-34): Gasol is adding mentor to his role with fellow veterans Mike Conley (heel) and Chandler Parsons (knee) down. "I think he is doing a great job of leading and leading not only by actions but the conversations that he's having, the way that he helps the young guys, the way that he talks to them, teaches them," interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff told reporters of Gasol. "In his situation it is very easy to be frustrated. He obviously has high expectations and is used to winning a lot of games, so he's dealing with that frustration well and he's helping the young guys through this." Gasol is averaging 18 points but is shooting a career-worst 41.6 percent from the floor while being swarmed by defenses.
ABOUT THE HAWKS (16-37): Atlanta surrendered an average of 121 points in losses to Charlotte and Boston before turning things around on the defensive end and limiting the Knicks to 5-of-23 from 3-point range. The Hawks buried 15 3-pointers at their end, including one by Kent Bazemore with 6.7 seconds left that proved to be the difference. Bazemore is averaging 19.3 points over the last four games -- six point above his season average -- and is 12-of-23 from 3-point range in that span.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Grizzlies SG Tyreke Evans sat out the last three games while the team attempts to find a trade partner.
2. Hawks PG Dennis Schroder is 1-of-18 from 3-point range over the last five games.
3. Gasol scored 13 points in a 96-94 home win over Atlanta on Dec. 15.