Scouting Report

admin

By: Daniel Carp, Grizzlies.com Contributor

Record: 26-46Standings: 13th in Western Conference, fourth in Pacific DivisionStarting Five: PG Ray McCallum, SG Ben McLemore, SF Omri Casspi, PF Rudy Gay, C DeMarcus CousinsHead Coach: George Karl (first season with team)

A massive double-double from center DeMarcus Cousins was not enough to lead the Kings past New Orleans. Despite Cousins' 39 points and 20 rebounds, Sacramento fell 102-88 to the Pelicans Friday at the Smoothie King Center. Former King Tyreke Evans had 25 points and 10 assists for New Orleans, knocking down shots from all over the floor. The Pelicans also dominated the glass, outrebounding Sacramento 47-37.

The Kings held a five-point lead in the third quarter, but an 8-0 run sparked by back-to-back 3-pointers by Quincy Pondexter swung the momentum back in the Pelicans' favor. Cousins finished an alley-oop dunk to pull the Kings within two at 64-62, but New Orleans responded with a 10-1 run spurred by Evans and power forward Anthony Davis.

The Grizzlies and Kings haven't seen each other since Feb. 25, when a physical battle between Cousins and Zach Randolph resulted in three technical fouls and a 102-90 Sacramento win. Memphis led by a point heading into the final period but went ice cold from the floor, scoring just 13 points in the fourth quarter and coming up short.

Small forward Rudy Gay finished with 28 points, five rebounds and six assists for the Kings, and Cousins added 16 points, nine rebounds and six dimes. Randolph tallied 20 points for the Grizzlies. Both teams were exceptionally sloppy with the basketball and combined for 37 turnovers.

Given the last Grizzlies-Kings matchup's fireworks, all eyes have to once again be on the battle in the post between Randolph and Cousins. There's no telling how much time these players will actually spend guarding one another, but both players are their respective team's emotional leaders and are never afraid to let some sparks fly. With Memphis falling out of the Western Conference's second spot over the weekend, expect him to be especially fired up heading into Monday's matchup.

Sacramento is squarely out of the Western Conference playoff picture, 15 games behind eighth-seeded Oklahoma City. With Saturday's loss to the Spurs, the Grizzlies are now in third place in the West, half a game behind the Houston Rockets.

The Kings are increasingly physical when playing on a Monday. Sacramento commits an average of 22.4 fouls per game on Mondays, compared to just 20.8 for the entire year.

grizzlies-vs-kings-scouting-report

Grizzlies vs. Kings: Scouting Report

Record: 46-26Standings: Sixth in Western Conference, third in Southwest DivisionStarting Five: PG Tony Parker, SG Danny Green, SF Kwahi Leonard, PF Tim Duncan, C Thiago SplitterHead Coach: Greg Popovich (19th season with team)

The Spurs used a dominant first-half performance to open up a commanding 21-point lead, but nearly saw that advantage evaporate before pulling away to beat the Mavericks 94-76 Friday at the AT&amp;T Center. A furious comeback attempt by Dallas had them within four in the third quarter, but power forward Boris Diaw helped lead San Antonio on a 17-2 run in the fourth quarter that sealed the game.

Diaw led all scorers with 19 points, shooting 8-for-11 from the field in just 26 minutes off the bench. Four of San Antonio's five starters also recorded double-figures. Center Tyson Chandler scored 10 points and added 14 rebounds for Dallas, which is jockeying with the Spurs for playoff positioning in the Western Conference.

The Grizzlies and Spurs haven't squared off since Dec. 30, when a hot start from Mike Conley propelled Memphis past San Antonio 95-87 at FedExForum. After one quarter of play, the score was Spurs 20, Conley 16—the Grizzlies point guard hit his first seven shots of the game.

Memphis was able to open up a 14-point halftime lead, but San Antonio refused to go away. Back-to-back baskets by power forward Tim Duncan cut the Grizzlies' lead to 80-77 with 5:52 remaining. Center Marc Gasol countered with a 16-foot jumper on Memphis' next trip down the floor, and the team never led by fewer than five points the rest of the way.

Conley finished with 30 points, seven rebounds and six assists, with Gasol adding 17 points, nine rebounds and five dimes for Memphis. Small forward Marco Belinelli finished with a team-high 18 points for the Spurs.

Keep an eye on the battle at shooting guard in Sunday's game, with Courtney Lee squaring off against Danny Green. Lee's role on the defensive end will be an important one for Memphis after the Grizzlies allowed Golden State to torch them from the perimeter to the tune of 16 3-pointers. Green knocks down 41.1 percent of his shots from beyond the arc, and Lee's defensive assignment gets no easier when Manu Ginobili comes off the bench.

As for Lee, the Grizzlies shooting guard has struggled to get things going in the month of March, averaging just 7.3 points per game and shooting 23.7 percent from 3-point range. Heading into the stretch run, Memphis could really use more offensive production from its two-guard.

Despite posting an 18-18 record on the road this season, the Spurs are 28-8 when playing in front of the home crowd at the AT&amp;T Center.

Center Aron Baynes has missed San Antonio's last three games with a sprained ankle. It has yet to be determined if he will play Sunday against the Grizzlies.

Sunday's matchup features two teams holding narrow leads on the current playoff positioning. The Grizzlies will enter Sunday's game leading Houston by just a half game for the second seed in the West. San Antonio leads Dallas by 1.5 games for the conference's sixth position. An added wrinkle—if either team moves from their current position, Memphis-San Antonio could become a potential first round playoff matchup.

When Tim Duncan began his NBA career in 1998, Spurs small forward Kyle Anderson was just four years old.

grizzlies-spurs-scouting-report

Grizzlies @ Spurs: Scouting Report

Record: 46-26Standings: Second in Eastern Conference, first in Central DivisionStarting Five: PG Kyrie Irving, SG J.R. Smith, SF LeBron James, PF Kevin Love, C Timofey MozgovHead Coach: David Blatt (first season with team)

Trailing by as many as 11 points in the third quarter, the Cavaliers remembered why they are one of the NBA's hottest teams, using a 26-5 run to cease control and blow by the Bucks 108-90 Sunday at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee. Small forward LeBron James, who called out his team's play at halftime, kickstarted the run with an emphatic dunk. Three straight 3-pointers from shooting guard J.R. Smith ended the spurt, which put Cleveland up 93-78 with 6:19 remaining.

James filled up the stat sheet for the Cavaliers with a game-high 28 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and five steals. Cleveland also got 23 points from Smith and 20 from point guard Kyrie Irving. Michael Carter-Williams led Milwaukee with 19 points but turned the ball over six times.

The Cavaliers have now won eight of their past 10 games.

The Grizzlies and Cavaliers last matched up Dec. 21, when shooting guard Dion Waiters scored 13 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter to propel Cleveland to a 105-91 win at Quicken Loans Arena. Playing without power forward Zach Randolph and shooting guard Tony Allen, Memphis struggled on the defensive end, allowing the Cavaliers to shoot a season-high 61 percent from the field.

James notched a game-high 28 points and added 11 assists for Cleveland. Anchoring a lineup that was often undersized due to Randolph's absence, center Marc Gasol led Memphis with 23 points, 11 rebounds and five assists.

Memphis would go on to lose its next two games to bring its losing streak to four—the only losing streak of more than two games for the Grizzlies this season.

How could the key matchup of Wednesday's matchup not involve LeBron James? It will likely be a combination of Jeff Green and Tony Allen who draw James as a defensive assignment for Memphis, hoping to keep the best basketball player on the planet at bay—at least for one night. The duo joined forces to hold Dallas' dynamic wing Chandler Parsons to just 12 points in Memphis' win against Dallas last Friday and will look to employ the same defensive intensity against James.

Wednesday's colossal matchup—which features teams with two of the four best records in the NBA—carries major playoff implications for both sides as they come down the stretch run. With 10 games remaining on its schedule, Cleveland leads Chicago by three games for the second seed in the East. The Grizzlies hold a 2.5 game lead on the Rockets for the two-spot in the West with 11 games to go. For both teams, a win would go a long way in securing home court advantage for the conference semifinals.

The Cavaliers are one of the NBA's most experienced teams, with eight players on its roster touting more than 10 years of NBA experience.

Watch tonight's Battle Ballz match as Phillip Dean (Sports 56/3) takes on Doc Holliday (ABC Local 24 Memphis).

grizzlies-vs-cavaliers-scouting-report

Grizzlies vs. Cavaliers: Scouting Report

Record: 58-13Standings: First in Western Conference, first in Pacific DivisionStarting Five: PG Stephen Curry, SG Klay Thompson, SF Harrison Barnes, PF Draymond Green, C Andrew BogutHead Coach: Steve Kerr (first season with team)

The Warriors clinched their first Pacific Division title in 39 years, shooting the lights out in a 122-108 win against the Trail Blazers Tuesday in Portland. Trailing 62-55 at the half, Golden State took control of the game in the third quarter, outscoring Portland 36-18 to coast to the title. In the victory, the Warriors shot a season-high 60.2 percent from the field and assisted on 37 of their 50 field goals.

All-Star Stephen Curry turned in a performance Warriors fans have grown accustomed to seeing, pouring in 33 points and 10 assists, including 5-of-9 from beyond the arc. Taking advantage of a Portland team that played without inside presences LaMarcus Aldridge and Chris Kaman, Golden State got near-triple doubles from both of its starting big men. Center Andrew Bogut had 16 rebounds and six assists to go along with his 10 points, and power forward Draymond Green added 14 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists and three blocks.

Golden State has now won 11 of its last 12 games.

The Grizzlies and Warriors haven't matched up since Dec. 16, when the teams with the two best records in the NBA squared off at FedExForum and Memphis' bench powered them to a 105-98 win. Starting the second quarter without a single starter on the floor, the Grizzlies took control of the game with a 20-0 run. Veteran Vince Carter led Memphis during this decisive run with 11 of his 16 points while playing alongside Beno Udrih, Tayshaun Prince, Jon Leuer and Kosta Koufos.

Center Marc Gasol led the Grizzlies with a game-high 24 points, and power forward Zach Randolph added 17 points and 10 rebounds. Golden State shot just 29.0 percent from 3-point range, including a 1-of-10 clip from Curry.

Golden State's guards get most of the hype, but the key matchup for Friday's contest is at the power forward spot between Zach Randolph and Draymond Green. Randolph is fresh off a less-than-average performance in Wednesday's loss to Cleveland, where he mustered just five points and three rebounds against Kevin Love. Green presents a matchup problem for most NBA big men—despite standing at just 6-foot-7, his shooting touch from the perimeter and quick feet force defenders to venture outside the paint and into space.

If the Warriors are able to dominate the interior similar to the way they did in their win against Portland Tuesday, Memphis could be in for a long night. Should Randolph regain his form, the Grizzlies could pound it inside when running their half-court sets and wear Golden State's defenders down.

Friday is Grizzlies' "Go Green Night" presented by International Paper. Tree seedlings will be given to the first 5,000 fans in attendance. Additionally, Grammy-Award winner Tasha Cobbs will conclude Friday’s game with a solo performance for Grizzlies Gospel Night.

Learn more about "Go Green Night" events.

Friday's contest will feature a battle between two of the NBA's most distinctive tempo teams. Golden State boasts the fastest offense in the league, averaging nearly 102 possessions per game. Memphis prefers a more deliberate half-court pace and sits at 25th in the NBA in pace of play. Controlling the tempo will likely be a major key for both teams.

Although the Grizzlies and Warriors are the top two teams in the Western Conference standings, Golden State holds a comfortable eight-game lead with 11 contests remaining on its schedule. Friday's matchup will be the first of two meetings between the team's in this year's stretch run. Picking up key wins against the conference's first-place team would be significant for Memphis, which enters Friday's game leading Houston by 1.5 games for the No. 2 seed in the West.

The Warriors may be known for their lights-out shooting from long range, but Golden State also ranks in the top three in the NBA in steals and blocks.

Watch tonight's Battle Ballz match as Jonathan May (3 Shades of Blue) takes on Jarvis Greer (WMC-TV).

grizzlies-vs-warriors-scouting-report

Grizzlies vs. Warriors: Scouting Report

Record: 14-56Standings: 15th in Eastern Conference, fifth in Atlantic DivisionStarting Five: PG Langston Galloway, SG Alexey Shved, SF Lance Thomas, PF Lou Amundson, C Andrea BargnaniHead Coach: Derek Fisher (first season with team)

Playing without All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry, the Raptors used a 12-0 fourth-quarter run to breeze past the Knicks 106-89 Sunday evening at the Air Canada Centre. After New York was able to cut its deficit to 78-72 with nine minutes remaining, Toronto scored on four consecutive possessions to open up a commanding 18-point advantage.  The Raptors were sloppy with the basketball, turning it over 16 times, but made a living from the free-throw line, where they shot 24-of-29 on the game.

Shooting guard DeMar DeRozan led the Raptors with 23 points, adding seven rebounds and five assists. Power forward Tyler Hansbrough added a season-high 18 points off the bench, shooting 7-of-8 from the floor in just 18 minutes of action. The Knicks were led by Lance Thomas' 24 points.

The depleted Knicks did not have enough firepower to hang with the Grizzlies, falling 105-83 when the teams met Jan. 5 at FedExForum. Hampered by injuries and short-staffed by a trade that sent J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert to the Cavaliers that day, New York was forced to play a small, makeshift lineup against Memphis and paid the ultimate price.

The Grizzlies took advantage of the Knicks' lack of size, scoring 58 points in the paint and using a third-quarter surge to hand New York its 12th consecutive loss in what would become a franchise-record 16-game losing skid.

Point guard Mike Conley led the way for Memphis, scoring 14 of his 22 points in the third quarter and adding seven rebounds and seven assists. The Grizzlies got 41 points from their bench, with all eight reserves who played finding their way into the scoring column. Small forward Quincy Acy notched 19 points off the bench for the Knicks.

Keep an eye on the battle in the middle between Memphis' Marc Gasol and New York's Andrea Bargnani. The Knicks enter Monday's contest boasting one of the league's most anemic offenses, ranking 29th in the NBA and averaging just 92.3 points per game. After losing Carmelo Anthony and Jose Calderon to season-ending injuries, Bargnani is one of the team's only offensive options, averaging 14.4 points per game on the year. Gasol has played well but struggled with foul trouble as of late, fouling out of two of Memphis' last three games. Two of the NBA's veteran, European centers should make for an intriguing matchup in Monday's contest.

Shooting guard Tim Hardaway, Jr., missed Sunday's loss to the Raptors with a sprained right wrist. Small forward Cleanthony Early sat out with a sprained left ankle.

With most of the league fighting for playoff spots this spring, Knicks fans have their eyes on a different race—the race for the No. 1 pick in next year's NBA draft. At 14-56, New York currently has a 1.5 game lead on Minnesota for the worst record in the NBA. The 76ers and Lakers are also in contention for the league's bottom spot, which will receive 25-percent odds to land the top pick in the 2015 draft.

As NCAA action rages on, it's worth noting that five different players on the Knicks roster helped lead their teams to the Final Four—Cole Aldrich (Kansas), Carmelo Anthony (Syracuse), Cleanthony Early (Wichita State), Tim Hardaway, Jr. (Michigan), Lance Thomas (Duke). Aldrich, Anthony and Thomas each won national championships.

grizzlies-knicks-scouting-report

Grizzlies @ Knicks: Scouting Report

Record: 44-23Standings: Fourth in Western Conference, first in Northwest DivisionStarting Five: PG Damian Lillard, SG Arron Afflalo, SF Nicolas Batum, PF Lamarcus Aldridge, C Robin LopezHead Coach: Terry Stotts (third season with team)

The Trail Blazers were shocked by an energetic Magic team, falling to Orlando 111-104 on the road. After trailing by as many 13 and pulling back to within three at 86-83 midway through the fourth quarter, Portland surrendered a 20-8 run that sealed the victory for the Magic. Orlando point guard Elfrid Payton became the seventh rookie in NBA history to record triple-doubles in back-to-back games, tallying 22 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Portland has now lost three consecutive games.

Portland was led by power forward Lamarcus Aldridge's 31 points and 10 rebounds. Shooting guard Victor Oladipo and center Nikola Vucevic each tallied 22 points and eight boards for Orlando.

The Grizzlies and Trail Blazers have not squared off since Feb. 22, when Memphis erased a 13-point deficit in the fourth quarter to upend Portland 98-92 at the Moda Center. Leading by just two points in the closing minute of the game, center Marc Gasol knocked down a jumper from the free-throw line with 30 seconds left to give the Grizzlies a 94-90 advantage. Defensive pressure was one of the keys to victory for the Grizzlies, who turned 15 Portland turnovers into 19 points.

Gasol scored a game-high 21 points for Memphis in the team's first game following the All-Star Break. Nicolas Batum added 17 points, 10 rebounds and five assists for the Trail Blazers.

Saturday's contest will feature an intriguing matchup at the shooting guard position, where Arron Afflalo will square off against Courtney Lee. Since losing shooting guard Wes Matthews to a torn ACL, Afflalo has become a more important piece of Portland's offense and has averaged 12.7 points per game in his last seven starts. Lee, meanwhile, has struggled offensively recently. He has cracked double figures just once in his last 10 games. If either of these players can add some scoring punch, the team that gets more from their off-guard could have an advantage.

Center Chris Kaman left Portland's 98-92 loss Saturday with a shoulder injury. His playing status for Saturday's contest has not been determined.

Leading the Northwest Division by six games, Portland has a firm hold on homecourt advantage for the first round of the playoffs. The Trail Blazers sit at fourth in the West, 1.5 games behind Houston for third place. The Grizzlies are still in line for the conference's second seed, but lead the surging Rockets by just 1.5 games.

The Trail Blazers lead the league in fouls committed and get whistled an average of 18.4 times per game.

Watch tonight's Battle Ballz match as Jarvis Greer (WMC-TV) takes on John Martin (92.9 ESPN Radio).

grizzlies-vs-trail-blazers-scouting-report

Grizzlies vs. Trail Blazers: Scouting Report

Record: 44-25Standings: Sixth in Western Conference, third in Southwest DivisionStarting Five: PG Rajon Rondo, SG Monta Ellis, SF Chandler Parsons, PF Dirk Nowitzki, C Tyson ChandlerHead Coach: Rick Carlisle (seventh season with team)

The Mavericks survived a late collapse to hold on to beat Orlando 107-102 after squandering a 22-point lead in the second half. Shooting guard Elfrid Payton had a chance to put the Magic in the lead with 30 seconds left, but missed a pull-up jumper. Dallas did not hit another field goal for the remainder of the game, but late free throws kept the Mavericks from dropping a game to a team that has won just 21 games.

Power forward Dirk Nowitzki scored a game-high 25 points and added eight rebounds for the Mavericks. Payton recorded a triple-double with 15 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists. Dallas has now won three consecutive games.

The last time the Grizzlies and Mavericks squared off was Jan. 27, when hot shooting from power forward Zach Randolph guided Memphis to a 109-90 victory. Randolph hit 10-of-15 from the field en route to 22 points and 10 rebounds, recording his 15th double-double in the Grizzlies' last 16 games. Many of those points came in the form of high-arching jumpers over Dallas center Tyson Chandler, who is one of the NBA's premier defenders.

A second-quarter surge gave Memphis a 54-44 halftime lead, and the Grizzlies did not look back from there. After trailing by as many as 16 points in the third quarter, the Mavericks were able to cut their deficit to nine points late in the period before Randolph knocked down a 20-footer to get his team back on track.

Chandler Parsons and Monta Ellis each tallied 19 points for Dallas. Center Marc Gasol notched a team-high six assists for Memphis and added 15 points.

The Mavericks and Grizzlies match up well at all five positions, but the battle to watch will be at the small forward spot between Chandler Parsons and Jeff Green. Parsons helps Dallas spread the floor and at 6-foot-9 is one of the team's most dynamic weapons. Green is fresh off a 21-point performance against the Pistons, but will he be able to provide the same scoring punch with such a tough defensive assignment? An intriguing matchup between two athletic wings could play a major factor in Friday's contest.

Dallas is currently tied with the Clippers for fifth place in the Western Conference, but Los Angeles holds a tiebreaker. The Mavericks lead seventh-place San Antonio by one game in the standings. Memphis holds a 1.5 game lead on Houston for the second seed in the West.

The Mavericks do not have a single rookie or second-year player on their roster.

grizzlies-mavericks-scouting-report

Grizzlies @ Mavericks: Scouting Report

Record: 23-43Standings: 12th in Eastern Conference, fifth in Central DivisionStarting Five: PG Reggie Jackson, SG Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, SF Caron Butler, PF Tayshaun Prince, C Andre DrummondHead Coach: Stan Van Gundy (first season with team)

The Jazz were always able to stay one step ahead of the Pistons, capturing an 88-85 victory in Salt Lake City Saturday night thanks to a surge in the final minute and key defensive stops. Detroit went into the final quarter trailing 64-55 but quickly erased that deficit with a 9-0 run to open the period. The teams battled back-and-forth until the final minute, when point guard Trey Burke banked in a floater with 13.1 seconds remaining to put Utah up three. Spencer Dinwiddie's last-ditch 3-point attempt for the Pistons fell off the mark as the team suffered its 10th consecutive loss.

Power forward Greg Monroe led Detroit with 16 points and 13 rebounds. His counterpart, Derrick Favors, scored 26 points from the Jazz, including a 10-for-13 performance from the free-throw line.

The Grizzlies and Pistons haven't met since Nov. 15, when Memphis pushed its record to 9-1 with a 95-88 victory against Detroit. Trailing by 11 points inside four minutes to play, the Pistons made a last-ditch run and pulled to within five following small forward Kyle Singler's fifth 3-pointer of the night with 1:43 remaining. Point guard Mike Conley helped steady the ship for the Grizzlies, scoring four of the team's final six points to hold on for the win.

Singler scored a team-high 21 points thanks to some sharp-shooting, hitting 5-of-7 from long range and a perfect 6-of-6 from the charity stripe. For Memphis, center Marc Gasol added 23 points and power forward Zach Randolph notched 17 points and 22 rebounds.

Detriot's banged-up front line will hinge on the play of center Andre Drummond, who suffered a concussion in Saturday's loss to Utah but was not listed on the Pistons' injury report heading into their matchup with the Grizzlies. Drummond will have to take on center Marc Gasol without his frontcourt-mate, power forward Greg Monroe, attracting attention from the Memphis defense. The 21-year-old center will have to shoulder an increased role in Detroit's offense while defending the Grizzlies' All-Star center—no small task. A matchup between Drummond's superior leaping ability and Gasol's soft touch around the rim should be an exciting one.

The Pistons' current 10-game losing streak is their second-longest of the season. Detroit's 13-game losing streak earlier in the season began with the team's loss to the Grizzlies the last time the teams squared off. As they approach that mark, the Pistons will look to end their streak against the same team that helped them start another.

Tuesday night will be Tayshaun Prince's first contest against the Grizzlies since Memphis traded him to Boston Jan. 12 as a part of the Jeff Green deal.

Power forward Greg Monroe will not play against the Grizzlies Tuesday due to a right knee strain.

When it comes to basketball, the Pistons could be "America's team." Thirteen of the 14 players on Detroit's roster played their college basketball in the United States (the lone exception being Brandon Jennings, who played high school basketball in America but did not play college basketball). The team boasts just two international players—Canadian-born Joel Anthony and Reggie Jackson, who was born in Italy to American parents.

grizzlies-vs-pistons-scouting-report

Grizzlies vs. Pistons: Scouting Report

none

<a href="https://fedexforum.com/arena-policy-updates" target="_blank">CLEAR BAGS ONLY: FEDEXFORUM NOW REQUIRES CLEAR BAGS FOR ALL GAMES &amp; EVENTS!</a>