Preview: Grizzlies at Clippers and more
The Los Angeles Clippers host the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday night at the Staples Center, with both teams looking to improve their playoff positioning over the next week. Los Angeles, 53-26, is tied for fifth place in the Western Conference, currently setting them up with a matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round. Memphis, 54-25, is simply trying to hold onto the Southwest Division, putting them into the playoffs as a second seed.
The two teams couldn’t be more different in styles. The Clippers are an up-tempo group, running wild with Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan. Paul is the biggest name of the group, but Jordan is what allows Los Angeles to flourish. With such a presence in the paint, the Clippers can match up with almost anybody. However, doing so with the Grizzlies will be no small feat.
Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph are perhaps the best twin towers in the NBA. Gasol, a former Defensive Player of the Year, is adapt on the offensive end as well, averaging 17.6 points per game. Randolph has always been a force on the block, both now and when he played with Portland and the New York Knicks. In 2014-15, Randolph is averaging 16.1 points and 10.6 rebounds/game, showcasing an array of post moves.
Both of these franchises are trying to make the leap from consistent contender to champion. The Clippers and Grizzlies have struggled to break through the West’s elite, with each franchise still looking for its first trip to the NBA Finals. On the positive side, Los Angeles and Memphis were once constant laughing stocks, and now present a pair of the best rosters in the game.
With Doc Rivers at the helm, the Clippers appear to have it all going into the spring. The main concern is whether the bench can produce enough on nights when Jamal Crawford isn’t white-hot from the perimeter. With Memphis, the question remains about the offense. Can the Grizzlies get enough scoring from the wing and the backcourt outside of Mike Conley Jr.?
More from around the NBA
In the race for the eighth and final seed in the West, the Oklahoma City Thunder and New Orleans Pelicans remain deadlocked at 43-36. New Orleans holds the tiebreaker and has ample momentum, playing 6-4 basketball in its last 10 games.
On Sunday, the Pelicans visit the Houston Rockets before traveling to play the Minnesota Timberwolves. They finish up with the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday. The Thunder visit the Indiana Pacers on Sunday before hosting Portland on Monday before ending the regular season with a trip to Minnesota.
