Memphis Grizzlies, Orlando Magic battling for different first place now
The last time the Memphis Grizzlies and Orlando Magic battled it out, they were sitting at the top of the standings. Now, things have just gotten ugly.
When the Memphis Grizzlies and Orlando Magic last played each other on November 1st, they were both the first seed in their respective conferences. Do you believe me?
Do you believe me now?
Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Since November 1st, each of these teams have only won 13 games. Instead of competing for a championship, they’re competing for ping pong balls. What happened?
It’s simple, injuries. Mike Conley being out has derailed this Grizzlies franchise big time. The Magic have just had injuries all around, as rising star Aaron Gordon has missed 16 games. In addition, Jonathan Isaac — the sixth pick in the 2017 draft — has been out for a significant time as well.
These teams definitely need some lottery luck, but someone needs to win tonight. How might each squad pull out the W in this one?
Keys to victory
- Marc Gasol
Marc Gasol has scored 22 points in each of the past two games. After commenting on his frustration, he has simply come alive. Granted, there isn’t much point right now, but it’s nice to see Gasol lead by example and not lay down.
He certainly helps the Grizzlies’ chances of winning, but he doesn’t have an easy opposition. His counterpart, Nikola Vucevic, is a 20-10 threat every night and has been one of the most underrated players in this league for the past few seasons.
If the Grizzlies want to snap their 12-game losing streak, they need Gasol to play well.
- Momentum
Though it resulted in a loss, the Grizzlies are coming off a hot fourth quarter from last night’s game. They nearly rallied from a double-digit deficit to upset the Denver Nuggets. They couldn’t pull it off, but now they have momentum that could change the outcome of tonight’s game.
Game Info
Who: Memphis Grizzlies @ Orlando Magic
When: 6:00 PM – ct
Where: Amway Center – Orlando, FL
How to watch: Fox Sports Southeast
How to listen: 92.9 ESPN – Memphis