Memphis Grizzlies look to halt skid in Atlanta

Buckle up, boys and girls, we’re in for a show…

The Memphis Grizzlies will close out their road trip with a stop at Phillips Arena to take on the league-worst Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday night. Since shutting down Tyreke Evans to preserve his trade value, the team has lost their last three games. The Hawks have won two of their last five, coming off a win against the Knicks.

For fans of tanking, tonight’s game is extremely important to the standings.

Keys to the game

• Youth movement

The Atlanta Hawks have the NBA’s fifth worst-defense, which means that tonight should be a good night to allow the Grizzlies’ youth to take over. Dillon Brooks, Ivan Rabb, Andrew Harrison, and Wayne Selden have all shown tremendous improvement on the offensive end over the latest stretch of the season. The Grizzlies should continue to focus on developing these guys.

• Keep Marc Gasol healthy

The Grizzlies are nearing the All Star break and currently have the seventh-best odds for the no. 1 pick in the draft. That, combined with the shutting down of Tyreke Evans and Mike Conley says that this team is looking towards the future. Marc Gasol will likely be a part of that future. However, he needs to remain healthy. Playing him too many minutes in a game against the worst team in the NBA isn’t wise.

• Don’t allow the Hawks to get hot

Despite the Hawks having the worst record in the NBA, they have an offensive rating of 106.5, which is higher than Memphis. If the Grizzlies allow them the space they need to get the 3-point shots to drop, this game could get out of hand quickly. In order to defend efficiently tonight, the Grizzlies need to focus on closing out on the perimeter and playing strong man to man defense.

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Game Info

Who: Memphis Grizzlies @ Atlanta Hawks

Where: Phillips Arena – Atlanta, GA

When: 6:30 PM CST

How to watch: Fox Sports Southeast

How to listen: 92.9 ESPN – Memphis