Memphis Grizzlies looking to prove last win against Houston was no fluke
By Blake Meyer
Tonight, the Memphis Grizzlies (24-17) take the “grit n’ grind” on the road to face the three-point juggernaut, the Houston Rockets (31-10).
Who: Memphis Grizzlies @ Houston Rockets
Where: Toyota Center (Houston Texas)
When: Friday Jan. 13th at 7:00 PM
How To Watch: Fox Sports Southeast
How To Listen: 92.9 ESPN Radio Memphis
Betting Odds: Houston (7); Over/Under (214.5) (7), Over/Under – 214
Follow: @BealeStreetBears for live tweets during the game
The last time these 2 teams met, the Memphis Grizzlies came away with the victory. With a 115-109 victory in The Grindhouse, the Grizzlies proved that they can hang with the best of them.
This time around, Houston is hoping to overwhelm Memphis with a barrage of three-point shots. Despite Wednesday’s loss to Minnesota, the Rockets have still won 20 of their last 23 games. They, also, have an outstanding 16-3 home record, so this will be no easy task for Memphis.
Keys to Success for Memphis Grizzlies:
- Limit the 3 point shot.
- Make Harden play defense.
- Control the pace of the game.
- Get Gasol & Conley going early.
Keys to Success for Houston Rockets:
- Make Gasol defend away from the basket, clearing the lane.
- Shoot well from three-point range.
- Force Memphis to take uncomfortable shots.
- Crash the boards on offense.
Players To Watch:
Memphis: Mike Conley
The last time these two teams met, Conley exploded for 24 points, shooting 3-for-6 from beyond the arc. I expect the Rockets place Patrick Beverley, their defensive specialist, on Conley to try to limit some of his scoring. Even if that’s the case, Conley has good enough court vision and ball-handling to find an open man for easy shots.
Houston: James Harden
Although this may seem like an obvious choice, Harden is a player to watch for two reasons. The first: Because he’s James Harden. Besides Russell Westbrook, Harden is, arguably, the most exciting person in the NBA today, averaging 28.6 points, 8.3 rebounds and 11.8 assists per game. Reason number two: No Eric Gordon. With the sharpshooter Eric Gordon presumably out with a sprained big toe, Harden is going to have to pick up an even larger portion of the team’s scoring.
What I Expect:
With both teams coming off tough losses on the road, expect both teams to be anxious to redeem themselves. Although the Rockets do have home-court advantage, the Grizzlies are known for showing up in big games against great opponents (just ask the Warriors). This game is going to be a little more of a shoot-out than the Grizzlies would like, but that shouldn’t be an issue. With Chandler Parsons starting to find his groove and Troy Daniels becoming a great scoring threat off the bench, the Grizzlies have just enough firepower to hang with the Rockets.
Final prediction
Memphis Grizzlies – 121
Houston Rockets – 108