The Memphis Grizzlies visit Talking Stick Resort Arena to take on the Phoenix Suns. The game starts at 9:30 pm ET on Saturday, Feb. 27 and will air on FxS and FAZ.
The Suns lost to the Nets 116-106 on Thursday. Mirza Teletovic recorded 30 points and 11 rebounds, earning his first double-double of the year. The Grizzlies, meanwhile, are coming off a 128-119 win over the Lakers on Wednesday. Mike Conley stood out for Memphis, accumulating 24 points, eight assists, and six rebounds.
Over the last five games, Conley has been on fire for the Grizzlies. During that stretch, he has averaged 20.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.0 steal, and 1.8 three-pointers.
This game should be a battle of contrasting styles. The Suns (ranked fourth in the league in possessions per game) prefer an up-tempo style of play, while the Grizzlies (27th) are more half-court-oriented. Also, the offense of the Grizzlies seems ready to earn plenty of trips to the line. They rank fifth in the NBA in free throw attempt rate (30.5), while the Suns are among the league’s most foul-happy teams (allowing a 30th-ranked mark of 32.6).
This will be the second matchup of the season between these two teams. The Grizzlies won the first game 95-93. Courtney Lee was a standout player in the game, producing 18 points, four rebounds, six assists, one block, and two three-pointers.
The Suns enter the game with records of 14-44 Straight Up (SU) and 22-36 Against The Spread (ATS). They have gone 14-44 SU and 22-36 ATS against teams from the Western Conference. Phoenix has averaged 108.1 points per game over the last 10 games, higher than its season average of 100.5.
Across the court, the Grizzlies head into the game with records of 27-27-3 ATS and 34-23 SU. Memphis has records of 34-23 SU and 27-27-3 ATS against the West. The Grizzlies are one of the top defensive teams on the road, essentially shutting down opponents to the tune of 97.4 points allowed per away game.
The Grizzlies’ win over Phoenix in their last clash moved their SU record in the last 10 against Phoenix to 9-1. The Grizzlies also hold the advantage ATS with a record of 7-3.
Predictions: SU Winner – Mem
Notes
Memphis ranks 24th in points per game with 98.9, while Phoenix ranks 29th in points allowed with an average of 107.6 given up.
Memphis ranks 28th in points per away game with 96.1 points, while Phoenix ranks 26th in points allowed at home with 105.5.
In games where they allow fewer than 100 points, the Memphis Grizzlies are a solid 22-8. In games where they score fewer than 100 points, the Phoenix Suns have an underachieving record of 1-26.
Memphis has an 11-15 record when allowing at least 100 points. Phoenix has a 13-18 record when it hits triple digits.
The Suns have a defensive rating of 108.3 (ranked 29th), while the Grizzlies rank 16th for their offensive rating of 103.4.
The Phoenix Suns average a field goal percentage of 43.7% this season. The Memphis Grizzlies have split their games 15-15 when opponents have a FG% of 43.7% or greater.
The Phoenix Suns rank lower for their field goal percentage (25th) than they do for their effective field goal percentage (21st), but the Memphis Grizzlies have a better FG% ranking (19th) than their EFF% ranking (26th).
On average, the Memphis Grizzlies make 21.2 assists per game and the Phoenix Suns make 20.7. Memphis is ranked 21st, while Phoenix is ranked 22nd.
The Phoenix Suns average 4.0 blocks per game for a rank of 27th. The Memphis Grizzlies rank higher (21st), earning 4.3 blocks each contest.
The Phoenix Suns rank ninth in offensive rebounding, while the Memphis Grizzlies rank 30th in defensive rebounding.
The Memphis Grizzlies average 8.7 steals per game (ranked seventh). The Phoenix Suns have a subpar 10-36 record when they allow at least 8 steals.
