The Memphis Grizzlies flew to Phoenix after their stunning victory over the Los Angeles Clippers to face the local Suns tonight. The Memphis Grizzlies played a perfect game against one of the best teams in the league, scoring 140 points and winning the game 140-114. The Phoenix Suns beat the visiting New York Knicks 120-112 at home in the previous game. The Suns and the Grizzlies have already played 2 games this season, sharing a win: Memphis Grizzlies beat the Suns 115-108 on the road but lost 105-114 at home.
Memphis Grizzlies
Memphis is slowly gaining momentum and after a dismal start to the season, the team is already fighting for a spot in the playoffs. A good illustration of the team's improvement was the last meeting with the L.A. Clippers, which the Grizzlies won 140-114. No 4 players scored more than 20 points (J. Crowder 27, J. Jackson 24, D. Brooks 22, J. Morant 22) and the three-point shooting was also impressive, with 18 of 39 shots hitting the target, i.e. 46%. Memphis is currently 11th in the standings, just 1 win behind the 8th place Portland Trail Blazers. The Grizzlies opened up a 13-point lead over the Clippers in the first quarter, and never let the 4th place team in the Western Conference get closer than 8 points the rest of the game.
The Memphis Grizzlies franchise currently ranks 12th in the entire league in points scored with 111.8 points per game. The Grizzlies are 18th in the league in rebounds per game, grabbing an average of 45.1, but Memphis is 2nd in the league in assists per game, averaging 27.3. As good as the team's offence is, the high tempo often leads to a defensive struggle, with the Grizzlies ranking just 27th in the league in points allowed, while their opponents are averaging 116.6 points per game. The Memphis Grizzlies are currently tied for 8th in the league in field goals made per game, averaging 46.4%. The Grizzlies also rank 19th in the league in three-pointers made per game (11.5), but in terms of total three-pointers made, the team is making just 35%, which ranks 15th in the league.
Memphis Grizzlies leaders:
Jaren Jackson Jr. - 17.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists The league's second-year player is proving that he was considered one of the best players of his generation in the country for a reason, and has improved a lot this season compared to the previous one. Jackson and Ja Morant are leading the team forward and Memphis can look forward to a solid playoff run over the next few years with these two players.
I Morant - 17.8 points, 6.6 assists and 3.2 rebounds - that's the stats of the guard who was named "Rookie of the Year" by our analysts before the season. Currently, the Rookie of the Year by all the league's scouting portals, the point guard is putting up solid stats and improving his game with every game, so it will be very interesting to continue to see the huge potential of this player.
Jonas Valančiūnas - 14.4 points, 9.8 rebounds Although the Lithuanian is definitely not the team's No. 1 option on offense, he puts his stats together well by battling well under the basket and taking advantage of his teammates' chances. Valanciunas has fit in well with the Grizzlies and is an important part of the team's success.
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Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns trailed by double-digit points at the end of the 2nd quarter in their last game against New York Knicks. The Suns trailed by 4 points after three quarters, but managed to come back and win the 4th quarter convincingly, ending the game 120-112. Phoenix Suns shot 46.7% from the field, including 10 three-pointers made in 28 attempts. The team was led to victory by its nominal leader Devin Booker, who scored 38 points. The Suns go into this game in 10th place in the Western Conference standings, the same as the Grizzlies, 1 win behind the San Antonio Spurs.
The Suns are 6th in the league in points scored, averaging 114.2 points per game. The team's 28.4 assists per game is also impressive, which leads the league. However, one of the team's weaknesses is rebounding, which is only 24th in the league with an average of 43.3 rebounds per game. The Phoenix Suns are also ranked just 26th in the league in points allowed per game, allowing an average of 115 points per game to their opponents. The Suns are 11th in the league in shooting 46.2%, 17th in the league in three-point shooting, but just 21st in three-point shooting. Only 35% of the team's made three-pointers hit the target.
Phoenix Suns leaders
Devin Booker - 25.6 points, 3.9 rebounds 6.5 res. passes Individually, this guard is one of the best players in the entire league, putting up impressive numbers every year. However, his efforts are not enough for the Suns to get more wins and make the playoffs.
Kelly Oubre Jr. - 18.3 points, 6 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. These are the stats of a forward who just joined the team in the off-season, but who has fit in very well with the team. Oubre plays well on both ends of the floor, and his good integration into the team and maintaining his form over the course of the season could be one of the keys to a playoff spot.
Ricky Rubio - 13.8 pts, 9.3 res. pass. The Spaniard, who has been a great addition to the team, has had some injury problems during the season, but will be registered for this game and will be on the court. The tandem of Rubio and Booker is working and with both players avoiding injuries, a good result could be expected.
Forecast
It will be the second game in 2 days for Memphis. Although the 26-point margin of victory over the Clippers last night was impressive, the team's play on this day is not as good as it would appear from last night's result. Also, there is a tendency in the NBA for a team to play "above its potential" and for the second game in a row to have the complete opposite on the court, so a Suns win by double digits would not be a surprise. It is very important to mention that the Suns will have DeAndre Ayton returning to the court tonight after an injury, and the only one who will not play is F. Kaminsky, who is only a rotation player. So the Phoenix Suns should be able to confidently beat Memphis at home with a full roster for the second game in two days.
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