Grizzlies at Hawks
The Memphis Grizzlies will very likely not be heading to the playoffs this season, but that doesn't mean they won't have an impact on how things shake out in each conference. The red-hot Grizzlies will try to stay sharp when they face another rebuilding team with a visit to the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday.
Memphis just finished up a three-game homestand in which it knocked off three potential playoff teams in Portland, Utah and Orlando and feels like its building a foundation for the future. "It's progress," coach J.B. Bickerstaff told reporters. "I think we knew it was going to take a little bit of time for the guys to gel and figure each other out. ... You can see it on the floor with the way they play together. The way they are in the locker room with one another. All they care about is team success, and they're enjoying it right now." The Hawks are 4-6 since the All-Star break but each of those setbacks came by single digits and they broke out of a three-game slide by knocking off the New Orleans Pelicans 128-116 on Sunday. The young squad knocked down 17 3-pointers against the Pelicans and handed out 30 assists.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FS Southeast (Memphis, Atlanta)
ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (28-40): Memphis added several new pieces at the trade deadline and is developing the young players on its roster, but the star remains franchise cornerstone Mike Conley. The veteran point guard is averaging 31.3 points over the last three games and scored 14 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter on Sunday as the Grizzlies pulled away from the Orlando Magic for a 105-97 victory. "Really, it's my coaches and teammates," Conley told reporters. "They've really set the table and believed in me. They're getting me open and constantly pushing me and telling me to be more aggressive. They think I'm too unselfish. I think we're a good mix of guys and character right now."
ABOUT THE HAWKS (23-45): Atlanta's inside-outside duo of John Collins and rookie point guard Trae Young is providing the most consistent production for the squad, but rookie shooting guard Kevin Huerter will throw up a great game every now and again as well. The 20-year-old Maryland product totaled 11 points on 3-of-18 shooting in losses to San Antonio and Brooklyn last week but broke out for 27 points on 11-of-18 shooting in Sunday's triumph. Collins, 21, posted his third double-double in as many games since returning from an illness against the Pelicans and is averaging 24.7 points and 13.3 rebounds in that span.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Grizzlies C Jonas Valanciunas is averaging 18.5 points in 10 games with the team, up from 12.8 points in 30 games with Toronto.
2. Hawks SF Kent Bazemore scored 13 points on 5-of-10 shooting Sunday, snapping a string of eight straight games in which he failed to hit as least half his field-goal attempts.
3. Memphis matched its season high in points with a 131-117 home victory over Atlanta on Oct. 19.