Memphis Grizzlies vs. Los Angeles Clippers Game Preview

Who: Los Angeles Clippers (24-13, 4th in West) at Memphis Grizzlies (14-23, 13th in West)

When: Friday, January 12th, 7:00 P.M. CST

Where: FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tennessee

How To Watch: Bally Sports Southeast

Injury Report: 

Memphis: Ja Morant (Out, Shoulder), Steven Adams (Out, Knee), Brandon Clarke (Out, Achilles), Santi Aldama (Out, Knee), GG Jackson II (Out, Two-Way Transfer), Jake LaRavia (Out, G-League Assignment), Derrick Rose (Out, Hamstring), Marcus Smart (Out, Finger)

Los Angeles: Moussa Diabate (Out, Hand), Xavier Moon (Questionable, Shoulder)

Fight through the pain

The Memphis Grizzlies are on a three-game win streak and yet it has been a bleak week for Grizz fans. With the news of season-ending surgery for Ja Morant, NBA fans began to pour dirt on the Grizzlies but Memphis responded well with a road victory over the Dallas Mavericks. Despite all of the circumstances, there was still hope that this Grizzlies squad could make a run at the Play-In. 

That fleeting moment ended with a swift kick in the nuts in the form of Marcus Smart being ruled out for at least six weeks. The newest chapter in Memphis’s season from hell might be the final blow that knocks this team down for good. Yet, no matter what the Grizzlies record is or how long the injury report is, the NBA season goes on and the Los Angeles Clippers are coming to town.

Two weeks ago, Memphis gave the Clippers a visit, falling 117-106. The score reflects a closer game than it was – Los Angeles led by 19 through three quarters. The Clippers are one of the hottest teams in the league, having won seven of their last eight and 16 of their last 19. The Clippers are unusually healthy, missing none of their stars or key role players, which makes tonight’s game all the more difficult. The Grizzlies had Smart, Morant and Santi Aldama in their last meeting with the Clippers, none of whom are available tonight. Memphis shocked its opponent and its fans with the effort given on Tuesday night. They will need that same surprise factor if the Grizzlies are to beat Los Angeles. 

Play like you have nothing to lose

It has certainly not been the year the Grizzlies or their fans expected, but there are always silver linings. It may be that the Grizzlies’ season is over in mid-January but what good does it do for Memphis to tank? Desmond Bane has played like an All-Star all season and Jaren Jackson Jr. has shown flashes of his elite two-way potential. Do you think those guys want to throw away a season so that the team can potentially add another 18-year-old? A high draft pick sounds nice in theory but there are no players toward the top of this draft that are going to come in and immediately help the Grizzlies make the leap they are hoping for. With how the lottery shakes out, Memphis could finish with the eighth or ninth-worst record and find themselves in the top three. It has happened before. 

Memphis may not have the firepower to play their way into the Play-In Tournament, but these are professional, competitive athletes. Memphis’s roster is still full of young guys trying to find their place in the league. Try telling David Roddy, Vince Williams Jr., Ziaire Williams and Xavier Tillman that there is nothing to play for this season. Those guys are going to come in every single day for the rest of the season with a chip on their shoulder and work their tails off. When healthy, this roster has the potential to be a threat in the west, but right now, the Grizzlies do not have the talent and shooting to keep up with a team like the Clippers, so they will just have to play the old way – Grit’n’Grind. 

Prediction: Los Angeles 120, Memphis 112