Grizzlies vs. Phoenix Preview
Joe Murphy/NBAE/Getty Images
April 8, 2008
The Grizzlies will be looking to avoid a season sweep at the hands of the Suns tonight. Here are a few storylines to watch in tonight’s game.
Make Phoenix find the slow lane
From the easier-said-then-done department: Memphis needs to find a way to slow down the Suns’ high-powered offense. Phoenix has posted an average of 129.5 points in the two prior games between the two teams this season, both of which were decided in regulation. The biggest problem has been the Suns’ ability to get easy baskets in transition and in the paint, as they made 58.8% of their field goal attempts in those two games, their highest figure against any team this season, despite shooting just 33.3% from three-point range, well below their season average. Five times in eight quarters this season the Grizzlies have given up 30 or more points to Phoenix, and only once have they held the Suns under 25 points, and that came in the fourth quarter of the last meeting when the Suns had their reserves on the court in a blowout game.
The Grizzlies will need a much better defensive performance to avoid the season sweep tonight, and can perhaps look at tape from Phoenix’s last game. On Sunday, the Suns lost 105-98 to Dallas, with Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire combining to go just 16-43 from the field (37.2%). The Grizzlies would love to keep that duo to a similar showing tonight.
Shaq who?
While Shaquille O’Neal has been getting all the headlines in Phoenix, it’s Amare Stoudemire who is a notorious Grizzly-killer. The last time these two teams met, Stoudemire was 12-17 from the field, and that was an improvement. Back on February 26, in the first meeting of the season between the two teams, Stoudemire went a nearly-perfect 11-13 from the field. His 76.7% from the field against Memphis this season is his highest mark against any team he’s played at least twice this season. It’s not exactly a new trend either, as Stoudemire made 69.0% of his attempts against Memphis in last year’s season series.
If it’s any consolation to the Grizzlies, they’re not the only team he’s lit up this season. Stoudemire is putting together his best season as a pro, averaging 25.2 points on a career-high 58.5% shooting. He’s adding 9.3 rebounds and a career-high 2.1 blocks per game. The scary thing is that he’s been even better since the Suns acquired Shaquille O’Neal and slid Stoudemire to power forward. Since February 20, O’Neal’s first game as a Sun, Stoudemire has posted 29.2 points per game while defenses try to deal with both he and O’Neal in the paint.
Match the Suns’ intensity
Last Wednesday against the lottery-bound Knicks, the Grizzlies looked like world-beaters, scoring 130 points on 60.0% shooting in a 16-point win. Two nights later against a Golden State team battling to stay in the playoff picture, the Grizzlies came out flat, shot 39.1% for the game and lost by 31.
Sunday in Minnesota, against another lottery-bound team in the Timberwolves, the Grizzlies played another good offensive game like they had days earlier against the Knicks. Despite shooting 44.2%, they scored 113 points in their win over the Timberwolves, had three players score 20+, dished out 25 assists on 38 field goals and committed just nine turnovers. Against Phoenix tonight, Memphis can’t afford another letdown like they had last week against the Warriors. Although Phoenix has clinched a playoff berth, they’re still battling for playoff position, with home court in the first round, and perhaps beyond, still at stake, which means they’re going to come out firing.
Tonight's game at FedExForum tips off at 7 p.m. Buy tickets