Memphis shot 60 percent in the first quarter, and taking advantage of 13 turnovers by the Cavaliers, the Grizzlies built a 58-49 lead at halftime.
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As for the Grizzlies, they are ravaged after the Marc Gasol injury, but they have talent in the likes of Mike Conley and Zach Randolph that could be more than enough to make the Cavaliers sweat on Monday night. Matt Barnes also scored 17 for the Grizzlies, who had their three-game win streak snapped.
The Grizzlies must shut down LeBron James in this game, or it could be a blow out.
Memphis ranks 24th in points per game with 99.1, while Cleveland ranks third in points allowed with an average of 97.1 given up. A lot of people think this is the time for us to fold and get ready for the summer.
“This is big time for us”, Carter said. They are going to be a 4 or 5 seed in the (Western Conference) playoffs.
The Memphis Grizzlies have a superb 26-8 record when their opponents score fewer than 100 points this season.
Jared Sullinger, who had 17 points and 13 rebounds, is questionable with a skin infection that landed him in the hospital.
“We’re hoping to have Tony Allen back (Monday at Cleveland)”, said Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger. In the team’s back-to-back wins, Len has had 50 points and 31 rebounds. “I have to have that chip on my shoulder”, he said. He’ll be putting up huge numbers the rest of the way with occasional games off. The Cavs have a two-game lead on the Raptors. “We just have to get better as a team preparing for anybody that is out there on the floor, myself included”.
“For us, as a maturing team, we’ve just got to come out every night and play the same way”, Irving said.
They didn’t. Now they depart Tuesday for a four-game West Coast trip that opens Wednesday at the Sacramento Kings.
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The Cavs, who play their next four games and six of their next seven on the road, lacked focus, desire and commitment against the Grizzlies, whom they had beaten by an average of 22.0 points – even when healthy – in the previous three meetings, including a 30-point trouncing early this season in Memphis. The Grizzlies are shooting lights out from the foul line so far, with a. 793 free throw percentage that ranks fourth in the National Basketball Association. “You have to play well to beat these guys”. Don’t expect Memphis to give away the ball much on offense, where its 12.4 turnovers per game ranks fourth in the league. James also moved passed Hall of Famer John Havlicek into 13th place on the NBA’s career scoring list.
