PREVIEW
GRIZZLIES (25-25) AT MAVS (31-19)
Time: 7:30 p.m. CT
Place: American Airlines Center, Dallas
TV: FSSW
Radio: ESPN 103.3 FM; Univision 1270 AM (Spanish)
About the Mavs: After winning impressively in Indiana on Monday, 112-103, the Mavs have emerged victorious in eight of their last 12 games. Forward Kristaps Porzingis led the way against the Pacers with a season-high 38 points and 12 rebounds. Tim Hardaway Jr. finished with 25 points and five assists, and Dorian Finney-Smith collected 15 points and 11 rebounds. . .Guards J.J. Barea (left ankle sprain) and Seth Curry (left knee tightness) are both questionable for tonight. Barea sustained his injury in Monday’s game, while Curry suffered his during Saturday’s game against Atlanta and sat out against Indiana. . .The Mavs will also again be without point guard Luka Doncic, who has missed the past three games with a sprained right ankle. According to the Mavs, Doncic is slated to miss at least three more games. The Mavs are 2-1 on this current stretch without Doncic, and were 2-2 without him earlier this season when he missed four games after spraining the same ankle. . .Before his scoring binge against Indiana, Porzingis tallied 35 points and grabbed 12 boards Friday at Houston. . .The Mavs are 66-29 all-time against the Grizzlies, including a 35-12 record in Dallas. . .Porzingis is averaging 17.8 ppg, 9.1 rpg and 1.9 bpg, Hardaway averages 14.2 ppg, and Finney-Smith has career highs in scoring (9.5 ppg), rebounds (5.7 rpg), field goal shooting (46.6 percent) and 3-point shooting (39.3 percent). . .The Mavs and Grizzlies have only met once this season, with the Mavs winning, 138-122, in Memphis, on Nov. 9. It’s the fourth-highest scoring game of the season for the Mavs. Doncic led the Mavs in that game with 24 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists.
About the Grizzlies: Following a very slow start, the upstart Grizzlies have become one of the hottest teams in the NBA and would be the Western Conference’s No. 8 seed in the playoffs if the postseason started today. . .Memphis started the season with a ho-hum 13-22 record, but has since won 12 of its last 15 games. Included in that run is a 140-114 blowout road victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Jan. 4, a 134-121 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Jan. 10, a 121-110 triumph against the Houston Rockets on Jan. 14, and a 104-96 win against the Denver Nuggets on Jan. 28. . .Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins was named Monday as the Western Conference Coach of the Month for January after his team went 11-4. . .Memphis put on a massive defensive front and held Detroit to just 29 points in the second half of Monday’s 96-82 victory over the Pistons. They limited the Pistons to just 10 points in the third quarter – a season low for Detroit in any quarter – on only 3-of-25 shooting. Jonas Valanciunas finished that game with 26 points, 17 rebounds and four blocks. . .Hot-shot rookie Ja Morant is the odds-on favorite to win the Rookie of the Year award. The No. 2 overall pick in last June’s NBA Draft, Morant is averaging 17.3 ppg and 7.1 apg, and is shooting 49.2 percent from the field and 38.5 percent from 3-point range. . .Jaren Jackson Jr. leads the Grizzlies with 17.6 ppg, and has made 47.7 percent of his field goals and 40.3 percent of his 3-point shots. . .Dillon Brooks is averaging 16.1 ppg and shooting 39.9 percent from beyond the 3-point arc, . .Valanciunas is averaging 15.2 ppg and 10.3 rpg, and has converted a healthy 59.2 percent of his field goals and 38 percent of his 3-pointers. . .Brandon Clarke averages 12 ppg and 5.7 rpg, and is shooting 61.9 percent from the floor and 39.1 percent from behind the 3-point stripe.
Twitter: @DwainPrice
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