Grizz vs Mavericks Preview

The Grizzlies put their 3 game home winning streak versus the Mavericks on the line tonight. Yes, you read that right. The Memphis Grizzlies have beaten the Mavs three straight times in the FedEx Forum. That's not a small accomplishment considering the Mavs are one win away from their 10th straight 50 win season. As impressive as those 10 straight seasons are, the Mavs still don't have a championship. Dallas is fighting for the 2nd spot in the Western Conference. The Mavs' run towards the 2nd spot is largely because of the play of their trade deadline pickups of Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood.

The key match-up of tonight's game is Zach versus Dirk. There could not be two different PFs in the league. Dirk is finesse, loving the outside shot, while Z-Bo loves to bang down low and hit the glass. Dirk has been struggling the last 4 games averaging just 15.5 ppg, but he broke out with a triple double of 34-10-10 versus Denver. Look for both players to have big nights tonight.

Rudy Gay needs 26 points to pass Mike Miller (5403) for 3rd all time in Grizz history.

Tonight has huge importance for the Mavericks' playoff seeding but is only about pride for the Grizz. Hopefully the Grizz will have some pride, play hard, and continue developing.

On another note, Grizzlife will need to be at the Forum for the Grizz vs NOLA on Friday. We'll all celebrate the season together.

Grizz at Bucks- Keys to the Game

Well Grizzlife, as much as it hurts me to say this, the Grizz are out of the playoff hunt. I want the Grizz to keep playing hard and keep developing our young team. To me, development in the last 10 games is as important as wins and losses. The last games tell me a lot about how our young team will look next year. In my opinion, we need to make some moves in the off-season and don't need to get any younger. I could write a whole article about the off-season, but that's for another time. I'll preview today's game:

My keys to the game are development, effort, and desire.

I know I'm not giving any tangible ideas for a Grizzlies' win, but it's not about that to me. I'll be happy regardless of the result if the Grizz hustle, play hard, and get better.

Go Grizz!

Playoff bound 2011

Grizz at Warriors- Keys to the Game

For the second time in 5 days the Grizz will face the Warriors. The Grizz will be looking for a must-have win to stay in the playoff hunt, while the Warriors are looking for only their third victory this month. A Grizzlies' loss tonight would pretty much eliminate their playoff hopes. I guess it's good news the game tonight is on the road because the Grizzlies are 8-3 since February 1st on the road. That makes the Grizzlies 16-18 on the road for the season and winning on the road is one of the first signs that a team is becoming competitive. If the Grizzlies win tonight they will join the 8 Western Conference playoff teams and only 4 Eastern Conference teams with that many road wins. The 16 road wins has already doubled last seasons road win total for the entire season.

The Grizzlies are obviously the favorites in tonight's game, and here's how they get the W:

1. Win the first quarter. The Grizz need to start hot and squash the Warriors hopes. The Warriors have lost a lot of games this year, so the Grizz need to get a lead early and make the Warriors lay down.

2. Rudy Gay vs Reggie Williams. Who is Reggie Williams? He is a rookie from VMI that got called up from the D-League on March 2. Rudy has more than excelled sub par players' guarding him, so tonight should be a big night tonight. The Grizz need Rudy to go for 25+ points tonight.

3. Bench play. Due to injury, the Warriors bench is basically non existent. DA and Marcus Williams have been playing better for the Grizz, which has lead to our recent success. The Grizz bench needs to outscore the Warriors' bench tonight for us to win.

Those are my 3 keys to a Grizzlies' win tonight. Let's keep the ball rolling tonight and keep our playoff chances alive.

Also, MAKE SURE YOU READ THE STALEY CATES INTERVIEW IN THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL TODAY!

GO GRIZZ!

Grizz vs Warriors- LJ's Keys to the Game

First of all, I'd like to apologize for my absence from the Grizzlife. I just spent this last week in Colorado skiing for Spring Break. I was unable to blog, but I watched the games on everybody's favorite NBA League Pass account. I'm back for good now, and living the Grizzlife all out.

Time is running out on Grizzlies' playoff hopes, but they have a chance to make up ground with a favorable schedule over the next five days. That stretch includes two games against the short-handed Warriors who have lost 12 straight on the road and one against the Kings. The Grizz must keep winning, and they desperately need some teams from ahead of them in the playoff race to fall back.

The Warriors are a team built for speed and perimeter play and have almost no interior presence at all. The Warriors lack a low post presence and defense. The Warriors haven't held an opponent under 100 pts in March and only 5 opponents have failed to cross the 100 pt plateau since the start of the year. Also, Marc Gasol has missed the past two games with a strained neck muscle. His status is uncertain as Memphis tries goes for its fourth win in five games at the Forum, following an eight-game slide there.

Tonight is a must win for the Grizz, and here's how we get it done:

1. No Stephen Curry- The Warriors are most likely without Curry tonight because of a sprained ankle. His absence would take away the Warriors' second scoring option and will leave a big hole in their line-up. The Grizzlies need to expose his absence and keep his replacement CJ Watson from having a big night of scoring.

2. OJ vs Montae Ellis- If there is a big time matchup in this game this is it. Mayo and Ellis were rumored to be involved in discussions around the trade deadline but nothing ever came of it. This would be a great opportunity for both players to show which side was right and which made a mistake. Ellis may play all 48 minutes tonight, so OJ and the bench need to wear him down. Ellis will probably be the leading scorer for the Warriors, but if the Grizz keep him under 25 pts, our chances of winning will skyrocket.

3. Race to 110 pts. I think whoever reaches the 110 pt plateau will win this came, plain and simple.

Let's Go Grizz!

Nuggets 125, Grizzlies 108

End of the first quarter: 33-24 Memphis. Halftime: 63-57 Memphis. End of the third quarter: 85-85 tie. Final score: 125-108 Nuggets. That's right, the Nuggets scored 40 points in the 4th quarter. 40! Last night against the Knicks, the Grizz gave up 39 in the final period, their worst 4th quarter defensive performance of the season. Tonight we gave up 40. As a Grizzlies fan, that stat really scares me. We cannot play any defense late in the game. The Nuggets went on a 12-0 run to start the 4th quarter and the only reason we were able to pull out the win against the Knicks was because we were up by 21 and had enough of a cushion to win. But when it comes to the 4th quarter on defense, we have been inept lately.

Why can't we play defense late in games? Who knows? One reason is that we rely too much on our starters, a common theme this season. The Denver bench played 101 minutes. The Memphis bench played just 66. I wonder which team will have more gas in the tank at the end of the game? We can rely on our starters for three quarters (or all game against bad teams), but then they run out of steam. We just don't have enough depth. Until that problem gets solved (hopefully with the return of Ronnie Brewer), we won't be able to put ourselves into playoff contention. Interestingly, we have lost eight straight home games against teams with winning records. Not good.

A few other bad things: we had just 9 fast break points while the Nuggets had 26. We were outrebounded by 8. Denver's JR Smith played just 28 minutes yet scored 30 points and hit 7 of 10 threes.

Even in a 17-point loss, there are a couple of bright spots. First, we shot 50% from the field (too bad the Nuggets shot 58%) and 78% from the free-throw line. Second, we had 58 points in the paint, 2 more than the Nuggets. That's about it.

This was a tough loss and doesn't bode well for our playoff hopes. Hopefully we can turn it around against the Bulls.

Go Grizz!

Owen

Grizzlies 119, Knicks 112

Sorry for the late post, GrizzLife readers. Spring Break 2010 got in the way of my blogging aspirations. Nevertheless, last night's game was an interesting one. The Grizz exploded for 119 points and had six players score in double figures. As good as the offense was, our defensive performance left much to be desired. The Knicks scored 112 points (a lot even for a Mike D'Antoni-coached team) and, thanks to a 4th-quarter rally, almost came back from a 94-73 deficit at the end of three quarters. Their 70 second-half points were the most scored in a half against the Grizz this season. But a win is a win and I'll take it. I just want to point out three things from the game.

1) The Grizzlies shot 91% (30-33) from the free-throw line. For a team that has shot a dismal 73.7% on the season, last night's performance was impressive. Also, the Knicks shot a red-hot 86% (25-29). Some good air must have been floating around the Forum...

2) The win gave the Grizzlies their third straight victory. That marked the first time since January 27 that the Grizz won three in a row. The win now puts us four games out of a playoff spot.

3) Three Grizzlies bench players (Sam Young, DeMarre Carroll, and Marcus Williams) played 15+ minutes and scored a combined 23 points. It's been good to see some sort of bench production from the team over the past few games.

Stay tuned for a recap of the game against the Nuggets. Hopefully we can pull out the W.

Go Grizz!

Owen

Grizz vs Nuggets- LJ's Keys to the Game

The Grizzlies could actually be looking at the biggest game of the season when they play Denver tonight. Sure that sounds dramatic, but it still may be true. A victory over the Nuggest could propel the Grizzlies to a long winning streak at the absolute right time to put pressure on Portland and San Antonio for the final playoff spots. The good news for the Grizzlies is that Denver played New Orleans on the road last night and their legs may be a tad bit weary. This is the 3rd game in 4 days for the Nuggets with all of them being played on the road. The fact that Denver has won 5 consecutive games and are still losing ground in the conference standings should say enough about how difficult the conference is this season. Denver (44-21) is ranked second in the league in scoring, averaging 107.6 points, but it has been even better during its winning streak, posting 114.2 per contest.George Karl's absence has been a significant loss for the Nuggets. He will miss this entire five-game road trip to adjust to a feeding tube that was placed into his stomach as part of his cancer treatment.

1. Carmelo Anthony- Melo is one of the biggest superstars in the NBA. His style is not flashy like Kobe's or LeBron's, but Melo gets the job done. He's averaging 28.5 ppg, 6+ rpg, and 3.5 apg. He's a quiet, steady assassin that during a game you don't really know, and then you look up and he has 30 points. The Grizzlies need to keep Melo below his points average tonight to have a chance to win.

2. 80% from Free Throw line. Grizz shot 90.9 percent (30 for 33) from the line Friday vs the Knicks, and they'll need to keep that up tonight versus a much better opponent in the Nuggets. In a high scoring game, the Grizz don't need to give up any freebees.

3. Keep the Nuggets under 105 points. I think if the Grizz can keep the Nuggets under their season average of 107 ppg, they will have a great chance to win tonight.

Go Grizz! Let's win this huge game and keep marching towards the playoffs.

Grizzlies 111, Celtics 91

Read the title of this post again. That's right, Grizzlies fans, we beat the Boston Celtics by 21 points. And the game was in Boston, no less! Behind Rudy Gay's 28 points and 8 rebounds, the Grizzlies used a 22-point halftime lead to put away the once-mighty Celtics. The game also saw the return of forward Zach Randolph, who tallied 13 points and 10 rebounds. It was great to see him back. Celtics star Kevin Garnett described the game the best: "They just came in and totally annihilated us." Wow; a future Hall-of-Famer just said that about our team. I love it. Although there are so many things one can say about tonight's game, I would just like to point out a few.

1) The Grizzlies have now won a franchise-record seven straight road games. I don't know what it is about playing on the road, but we have been unstoppable away from the Forum over the last couple of weeks. I wish we could play at home, though. We've only won one home game since February 2. Whatever, I'm happy with this win.

2) KG was right. We completely annihilated the Celts tonight. We shot 55% (including a sizzling 56% from 3), won the rebounding battle by 19 (48 to 29), and had a 29-point lead at one point. Sounds like annihilation to me.

3) Hasheem Thabeet played great in his return to the Grizzlies after the D-League stint. He logged 26 minutes, scored 7 points, grabbed 6 rebounds and blocked a shot. Tonight was arguably his best game of the season and I hope he can continue to provide strong bench play until Ronnie Brewer returns.

4) The Memphis bench as a whole played great. Marcus Williams had 16 points, Sam Young had 11, and Thabeet had 7. The bench was a combined +36 on the +/- scale (which denotes the team's net points while a player was on the court) and three players played over 20 minutes (Young, Williams, and Thabeet). Take some time to let that hamstring heal, Ronnie. We're just fine. (That was a joke by the way; we need Ronnie ASAP).

5) The Celtics' 33 first half points were the fewest they had scored all season. This was the first time since 2006 that the Grizzlies had beaten the Celtics. Do those two things really mean that much? Not particularly. Are they cool? You bet.

Phenomenal win tonight, Grizzlies. Now we're only 3.5 games out of a playoff spot. Let's keep it up. Knicks at home on Friday.

Protect the Forum and go Grizz!

Owen

Grizz at Celtics- Keys to the Game

The Celtics' home problems this year are very surprising and so is the Grizzlies' road winning streak. The Grizzlies put their 6 game road winning streak on the line tonight. A win against the Celtics could reignite the Grizzlies fading playoff hopes and continue the Grizzlies franchise best road winning streak. It would seem appropriate if the Grizzlies break the winning streak the first game after breaking the losing streak on Monday. The Celtics are a bit confusing this year. Last month, they beat the Lakers at home but lost to the Nets too. Most blame fatigue and injury for the inconsistency, but everyone knows the Celtics are aging and time is almost up on the Big 3 of Pierce, Allen, and Garnett. Memphis is undefeated (4-0) versus the Atlantic division and look to complete the division sweep tonight versus the Celtics. Here's how I think the Grizz do it:

1. Conley vs Rondo- Two of the fastest PGs in the league today square off in this battle. However only one of them plays like it every night. Rondo is averaging 14.1 ppg and 9.9 apg this season. Conley is averaging 10.6 ppg and 5.3 apg. Conley needs to be extremely careful with the ball around Rondo who is one of the best defensive PG's in the league. I don't expect Conley to match Rondo's numbers, but the Grizz need him to be close to Rondo's numbers and to make life difficult for Rondo tonight.

2. Zach Randolph. Z-Bo will be returning tonight after missing the Nets game with a sore back. He will be matched up against Kevin Garnett who has been slowed down by knee problems. Zach should be able to get 20+ points tonight and 12+ rebounds. If Zach doesn't win this match-up tonight, the Grizz chances decrease significantly.

Also, if the Celtics build a double digit lead, don't be discouraged. They have many melt downs this year, blowing plenty of double digit leads.

Tonight would be a momentous win. The Grizz nation wants it, so let's hope the Grizz get it done. Reminder, the game starts at 7:30 EST and 6:30 CST.

Grizzlies 107, Nets 101

Although they were without All-Star forward Zach Randolph, the Memphis Grizzlies still downed the New Jersey Nets 107-101. Since the Nets were 7-55 heading into the game, that's not saying much. A loss last night would've been a huge blow to a team fighting to make the playoffs. But thanks to 61 combined points by Rudy Gay, Mike Conley, and Marc Gasol, the Grizzlies got the win. It was closer than it should've been, however...

After taking a 16-point lead into the locker room at halftime, the Grizz watched that lead evaporate to 2 heading into the game's final period. With 3:09 left, the Grizz were only up by three. They were able to close out the win, their first at home since the win over the Lakers on February 1. "We made just enough plays at the end to win the game," said Head Coach Lionel Hollins.

Let's review Luke's keys to the game: 1) Rudy Gay vs. Trenton Hassell. This was never really a matchup. Gay played 38 minutes, scored 21 points on 7-18 shooting, and grabbed 10 rebounds. Hassell played 18 minutes, scored 0 points and had 3 fouls. Advantage: Gay. 2) Win the first quarter. After one quarter, the Grizzlies were up 32-27. Although that lead evaporated later in the game, it was a good start. Advantage: Grizzlies.

Good win at home (finally), Grizzlies. Let's keep the mo rolling against the Celtics tomorrow night.

Go Grizz!

Owen

Thabeet Recalled from D-League

After playing for the NBA D-League's Dakota Wizards for less than two weeks, Grizzlies center Hasheem Thabeet has been recalled back up to the Memphis Grizzlies. Thabeet averaged 13.8 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 3.17 blocks per game in six games for the Wizards. Hopefully his D-League stint lit a fire under the 7'3" rookie, who has played very inconsistent basketball for the Grizzlies so far this season. We'll see what happens...

Nets at Grizz- Key to the Game

The Grizz haven't won at home in 5 weeks, and as weird as this is to say, the Nets have had success on the road as of late. Facing the Nets (7-55) would seem to be a good opportunity to snap that skid, but New Jersey has won three straight on the road. The Nets won 113-93 at New York on Saturday, and defeated Boston and Charlotte in their previous two road games. A loss Monday would give the Grizzlies their longest home slide since dropping a franchise-record 11 in a row from Feb. 16-March 31, 1996, when the team was based in Vancouver. All that I have written seems pretty negative, but let's remember that the Nets have only won 7 games and are the NBA's worst team.

The Grizz are favorites tonight and need every win they can get as the playoffs draw nearer. A loss tonight to the lowly Nets, and I don't see how the Grizz can bounce back. I think we win handily tonight, and here's how we get it done:

1.Rudy Gay vs Trenton Hassel- I follow the NBA every single night, and I have never heard of Trenton Hassel, the Nets' starting SF. Hassell is a defensive specialist who is 31 yrs old and losing a step. He's also very undersized to play SF and will very outmatched by Rudy Gay in almost every way. Rudy hasn't gone for 20 yet in March, but look for him to get above that threshold tonight.

2. Win the first quarter. Last game vs the Nets, the Grizzlies got off to a slow start and barely squeaked out a win. Tonight, the Grizz need to play well early, and put the Nets away. The Nets are used to losing, and tonight is no night to let them hang around and have their confidence build.

A couple side notes: Yi will not play for New Jersey tonight. Make sure you read Ron Tillery's interview of Heisley and Calkins' thoughts on Heisley in today's Commercial Appeal. Both articles are very insightful.

Grizz Straight!

Grizzlies Cruise on the Road

A lot has happened since we last spoke, Grizzlies fans. For starters, the boys in blue have won 3 of 5 games and just set a franchise record with their sixth straight road win. They have knocked off the Knicks, Hornets and Bulls and have lost to the Bobcats and Trail Blazers. Zach Randolph has scored 131 points and grabbed 71 rebounds. I have taken three midterms and written four papers, which explains my absence from the blogosphere. For that I apologize.

I would like to point out a few things from the past week in Grizz country. First, Randolph pulled in a mind-boggling 25 rebounds against the Knicks. That was the most rebounds in a game by a Grizzly since Lorenzen Wright hauled in 26 against the Mavericks on November 4, 2001. Second, the Grizzlies have moved to two games above .500, their best mark since after the loss to Minnesota on February 6. So we're playing our best basketball in a month; I like the sound of that. Third, Mike Conley had a career game against the Hornets last night. Let this stat line blow your mind: 26 points, 7 assists, 3 rebounds, 4 steals and 11-18 FG. Is it coincidence that I put a bobblehead of him on my desk that morning? I don't think so. It was great to see a player who has struggled at times this season come out and play a great game. Hopefully he can continue to provide spark for a thinly-stretched team. Finally, a fan hit his head on the rim in a halftime trampoline stunt at the Forum. Check out the video here. Now there's a true Grizzlifer...

Great play the past week, Grizzlies. Let's keep the momentum up against the Spurs on Saturday. We're only 4 games out of a playoff spot. Anything can happen...

Go Grizz!

Owen

Grizz at Bulls- LJ's Keys to the Game

The Grizz have another back to back series and this one could be the most difficult they have faced since the All-Star game. New Orleans and Chicago are both fighting for their playoff lives right now and Memphis will have to give a maximum effort to avoid losing in front of our beloved owner Michael Heisley who still owns front row seats to the Bulls games. The win in New Orleans ended a long drought there and the Grizzlies are now looking to sweep back to back games for the first time since the 2004-05 season when both games were on the road. The Bulls have won their last five meetings with the Grizzlies (31-30) at the United Center, and the home team has taken the last nine games in this series

The Bulls have lost two straight games but are 12-11 against the Western Conference. The Bulls will be without Joakim Noah and could also be without Luol Deng and Derrick Rose, both with ailing knees. Rose has battled minor injuries all season and was held out of practice on Wednesday but is expected to play.

Last night was a huge win, but every night from here until the end of the season is an extremely important game. Needless to say, tonight is a must win. Here's how we get it done:

1. Rudy vs Deng. Deng is alot like Rudy. He averages 18.2 ppg and 7.5 rpg. He's an athletic freak with a long body that somehow doesn't translate into a good defensive player although the skills are there to be better. Rudy and Deng are very similar players in size and stats. The Grizz need Rudy to win the points battle with Deng tonight.

2. Confidence. After setting the franchise record for consecutive road wins, the Grizzlies look to extend that record tonight. They have an extremely high confidence on the road right now, and that confidence needs to continue and translate to the home floor where they face the Spurs this weekend. The Grizz think they can beat anyone on the road right now, and they can. They'll need that confidence to continue tonight to get the win.

If the the Bulls are without Noah, Deng, and/or Rose, the Grizzlies will have a large advantage. The Grizzlies need another huge road win tonight, and I'll believe they'll get it.

Grizz Straight!

Grizz at Hornets- Keys to the Game

In my opinion, tonight is the breaking point of the season for our beloved Grizzlies. We are currently 30-30 and 4.5 games out of the playoffs in the Western Conference. The Grizz match up against the New Orleans Hornets who are in a similar slide out of the playoffs. NOLA is 1-4 in their last 5 games and are 31-30, 4 games out of the Western Conference playoffs. Tonight is a must win for both teams if they want to continue a push towards the playoffs. If the Grizz lose tonight, we will be under .500 and headed for another lottery pick. I hate to say it, but tonight is do or die for the Grizzlies.

NOLA is looking for its 10th straight home win versus the Grizzlies while the Grizz are looking to set a franchise record with its 5th straight road victory. The Hornets will be without Chris Paul tonight who has missed the last few weeks with a knee injury. Road wins have come easier than home wins for the Grizz lately, but tonight will be as tough as any. Here's how I think the Grizz get it done:

1. Collison vs Conley. Collison had to step in the fill some big shoes that CP3 left when he went down with an injury, but Collison has done quite well. He has averaged 20.5 ppg and 9.2 apg since Paul's injury. Pretty stout numbers for the Western Conference's February Rookie of the Month. Conley has been up and down all season and especially lately. He's gone multiple games without turnovers then he'll have a game like Monday's with 7 turnovers. The Grizz need to limit Collison, but it all depends on which Mike Conley shows up.

2. Marc Gasol. During the home losing skid, Marc has played much better on the road. He was just 2 assists shy of a triple double versus the Knicks on Saturday. Gasol will match up against Omeka Okafor who has struggled this season to guard Gasol. Marc will need to defend Okafor well because in the last meeting, Okafor went 10-14 from the field with most shot's being easy dunks.

3. Desire. The Grizzlies must show up tonight with desire to win and get back in the playoff race. I think we'll see very early whether or not the team is ready to call it quits for the season, and grind on. They'll need energy, focus, and most of all a desire to not give up tonight in order to get the W.

On another note, watch out for NOLA's bench tonight. James Posey had a game winner on us earlier this year, and we all know of what he's capable. Also, rookie out of LSU, Marcus Thornton has played well lately averaging 26.2 ppg on 53.8% shooting in the last 5 games.

Tonight is make or break for the Grizzlife. Let's Go Grizz!

Blazers at Grizzlies- LJ's Keys to the Game

The 6 game home losing streak of the Grizzlies is a perplexing but important issue. That issue is extremely important tonight, especially because the Grizz haven't won at home in a month and the Trailblazers are coming into FedEx forum having won 3 of 4 on their current road trip and 6 straight at the Forum. Granted, the Blazers have faced New Jersey, Chicago, Toronto, and Minnesota on this current road trip which is not exactly top tier opponents. Regardless, the Grizzlies need to win tonight to end the home losing skid and gain a game on the Blazers in the playoff standings.

The Blazers are what many Grizz fans hope to be in a year or two. The Grizz and Blazers have a lot of similarities. They are both full of young talent and have tremendous upside. Also, both teams have a young center in Oden and Thabeet on whom they spent a top draft pick. Thabeet and Oden have underperformed, and both teams have taken criticism for taking them over picks like Durant and Tyreke Evans. The underperforming centers won't be playing tonight given Oden is yet again out with injury, and Thabeet is in the D-League.

If the Grizzlies want to make a push towards the play-off, they must beat times like the Blazers who are within reach in the standings. Here's how I think we do it:

1. Early confidence and momentum. The Grizz need to start well, and win the first quarter. The Grizzlies have struggled when they don't start well, and versus a equal or better team tonight, they have to get hot early.

2. Mayo vs Roy. In my opinion, Roy is one of the must underrated superstars in the NBA. I like every bit of his game and think he is a star. Mayo has scored double digits every game since the Lakers win and has provided defense and hustle stats all season. I don't think Mayo needs to match Roy point for point, but Mayo will have opportunities to score tonight and needs to fill up the rest of the stat sheet for the Grizz to win tonight.

3. Bench play. I know I have been harping on the bench lately, but they have been playing better lately. At the beginning of the season, the Blazer's bench was one of the deepest in the NBA, but with injuries (Oden and Pryzbilla) and trades (Blake and Outlaw), the talent on the bench is close to that of the Grizzlies. I think the Trailblazers have a small advantage because their bench play has been more consistent, but to win tonight, the Grizz bench needs to match the Blazers' bench.

Those are my keys to the game, but I think there are a few more points to notice for tonight's game. The Andre Miller vs Mike Conley match-up will be key because Miller is a bigger, physical point guard, and Conley has struggled versus that body type. Marc Gasol has had double doubles in the last 2 games versus the Blazers, but the Blazers traded for Marcus Camby who will be able to guard Gasol better. Gasol has struggled at home during the losing streak averaging only 9.1 ppg down from his 15 ppg average.

Go Grizz!