It’s been some time since the Grizzlies won on the road. After losing 108-103 to the Los Angeles Lakers in Tinseltown on Sunday, the Grizzlies will look to end a five-game road losing streak tonight in San Antonio. Memphis, however, lost in its last visit in San Antonio, bowing to the Spurs on Mar. 23, 97-90.
Marc Gasol won’t be there to help Memphis against the Spurs. Gasol is expected to sit his sixth straight contest due to a foot injury. Worse, Gasol’s main backup, JaMychal Green could also be out with a shoulder issue. Should both big men not suit up tonight, it’ll mean bloated minutes for the likes of Brandan Wright and James Ennis. Wright scored 16 points against the Lakers, while Ennis had 14.
Of course, Wright and Ennis are just going to play second-fiddle roles to Mike Conley and Zach Randolph. Conley has averaged 17.7 points in three games against San Antonio this season. Randolph, on the other hand, has put up 14.7 points to go with 7.7 rebounds in the matchup.
San Antonio posted its second consecutive win on Sunday, taking down Utah, 109-103 at home.
It’s been a bit tricky for opposing teams to prepare for the Spurs because San Antonio has the penchant for resting players and announcing moves minutes before the game.
LaMarcus Aldridge could be sidelined tonight with a thumb injury. Aldridge didn’t play in the Utah game for the same reason but the Spurs didn’t seem to miss the big man thanks to the strong outings from Kawhi Leonard and Tony Parker. Leonard scored 25 points against the Jazz, while Parker played like old Tony Parker, netting 21 points and making five assists.
Leonard has been a cold-blooded killer on the court the past two games and Memphis will have to be wary of the stoic-Spurs assassin. Leonard scored 20 points in the second half of the Spurs’ 110-95 win over Oklahoma City on Friday. He followed that second-half heroics in the Utah game, wherein he manufactured 19 of his 25 points in the third quarter.
In two meetings with the Grizzlies this season, Leonard has averaged 20.5 points with 7.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists. With Aldridge out, there’ll be added workload on Pau Gasol, who scored 13 points and got 12 rebounds in the win over Utah.
