Grizzlies at Pistons
The Detroit Pistons aren't playing like a team ready for the postseason, and a couple more slips will push them out of the race. The Pistons will try to snap a four-game slide and secure their position when they host the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday.
Detroit seemed to be a lock for the playoffs last week, but the recent swoon leaves it in the No. 8 spot in the East, one game ahead of the Charlotte Hornets and the Miami Heat with two contests remaining. "This is the time to suck it up and get it done," Pistons All-Star forward Blake Griffin, who is playing through a knee injury, told reporters after a 104-91 home loss to Charlotte on Sunday. "Whatever you have, whatever anybody has in this locker room, you've got to give it to the team. It's time for us all to give that ultimate sacrifice." The Grizzlies have been out of the race for weeks and are using the remaining games to get a look at players for next season. Delon Wright, Tyler Dorsey, Bruno Caboclo and Justin Holiday are all trying to take advantage of the opportunity.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Southeast (Memphis), FS Detroit
ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (32-48): Wright, who came over from Toronto in the trade that sent former franchise cornerstone Marc Gasol away, is getting a chance to run the offense with Mike Conley (ankle) out and is taking advantage. The 26-year-old posted his second straight triple-double with 20 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists in a 129-127 overtime loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday, which also marked the third time in four games that he scored at least 20 points. Caboclo is getting his first opportunity to play big minutes as well and hauled in a career-high 17 rebounds on Sunday.
ABOUT THE PISTONS (39-41): Detroit gets the benefit of playing a pair of losing teams over the final two games with a trip to the NBA-worst New York Knicks set for Wednesday but is unsure of what it will get from Griffin, who followed a 45-point outburst in his return on Friday with 16 points on 5-of-18 shooting in 34 minutes on Sunday. "He's on the court,” Pistons coach Dwane Casey told reporters of Griffin. "He's not 100 percent, but he's giving us what he has." Reserve point guard Ish Smith tried to pick up some of the scoring slack on Sunday and delivered 20 points on 9-of-16 shooting in the loss to Charlotte.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Pistons SG Langston Galloway is 2-of-18 from 3-point range over the last three games.
2. Holiday scored a career-high 30 points on Sunday.
3. Detroit earned a 101-94 victory at Memphis on Jan. 2 behind 26 points from Griffin.