Preview: Grizzlies at Pistons
Joe Murphy/NBAE/Getty Images
Friday, December 21, 2007
The Grizzlies will be looking to earn a split of the season series against Detroit after losing by 10 to the Pistons last week at home. Here are a few storylines to watch in tonight’s game.
Who keeps their momentum?
Both teams will come into tonight’s game on a high after similar last-second dramatic wins over two of the NBA’s elite teams on Wednesday. The Grizzlies took down the defending champion Spurs on a buzzer-beating three-pointer by Rudy Gay. Making the win even more dramatic was the fact that the Grizzlies went through a nearly seven-minute scoreless streak in the fourth quarter that allowed San Antonio to tie the game late after Memphis had led by as much as 23 in the third quarter.
As for Detroit, they took on one of the favorites for this year’s title when they beat Boston 87-85. Chauncey Billups played the hero in that one. With the score tied late in the game, he drew a foul on Boston’s Tony Allen and hit two free throws with 0.1 seconds left to earn Detroit the win. But like the Grizzlies’ win over the Spurs, Detroit’s win didn’t come easy. The Pistons shot just 38.5% in the first half and 40.3% for the game, with Tayshaun Prince and Rasheed Wallace combining to go just 4-20 from the field for 11 points. But in each case, a win as a win, and both the Grizzlies and Pistons will be looking to keep it going tonight.
Backcourt scoring
When the Pistons defeated the Grizzlies last Tuesday at FedExForum, they got a combined 55 points on 18-31 shooting from their starting backcourt of Chauncey Billups and Rip Hamilton.
Meanwhile, the Grizzlies’ starting backcourt of Damon Stoudamire and Mike Miller struggled to get involved in the offense, as each player went 1-4 from the field and combined for eight points. And going back to Billups, not only did he pour in 28 points for Detroit, but he added 14 assists (one fewer than the Grizzlies had as a team) while committing just one turnover, and got to the free throw line 12 times, where he made each of his attempts. It was a dominating performance by Billups and Hamilton, and one the Grizzlies can’t let happen again in this game.
The Detroit duo also did it to Boston Wednesday, combining for 49 of Detroit’s 87 points in their win. Billups and Hamilton combined to go 16-28 from the field (57.1%) against the Celtics, while the rest of the Pistons combined to go 13-44 (29.5%). The Grizzlies need to do a better job of not letting Billups and Hamilton dictate the action.
New face for the Grizzlies
Jeremy Richardson got an early Christmas present when he was called up for the NBA D-League and signed by the Grizzlies. He’ll be in uniform and ready to make his Grizzlies debut in Detroit tonight. Richardson, a 6-7, 195-pound swingman, was averaging a league-high 28.5 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 1.63 steals in 41.5 minutes in eight games this season for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants in the NBA D-League. He was also named the D-League Performer of the Week on December 3 after scoring a D-League season-high 40 points vs. the Iowa Energy on November 29.
Richardson had two call-ups to the NBA last season with the Atlanta Hawks and Portland Trail Blazers, averaging 1.3 points in six games in limited playing time. Recently, Richardson was one of the Miami Heat’s final cuts on October 29. Prior to being waived by the Heat, he had an outstanding preseason game against the Grizzlies when he scored 15 points and added four rebounds, two assists and one steal.
Tune In
Don't miss tonight's television broadcast of the game on FSN-South and catch the return of the Emmy-nominated Grizzlies Insider series during the Grizzlies Live! pregame show starting at 6:30 p.m.