Memphis Grizzlies vs Orlando Magic preview
Tonight the Grizzlies take on the Orlando Magic, the second meeting of these teams this month. You might recall our visit to Orlando on January 16th, where the Grizzlies beat the Magic 106-96.
It was Jeff Green’s second game wearing Beale Street Blue, and he did not disappoint by any stretch of the imagination, finishing with a team high 21 points. Which included this monster dunk against Victor Oladipo.
I think we are all going into this game expecting a win, and as long as we play smart basketball and control the pace, that should be the likely outcome. However it would be great if we could manage another game like the one we played against the Sixers on Saturday night, where no one plays over 28 minutes.
Tonight is the first night of a back to back, and tomorrow night the Grizzlies will be on the road playing against the Mavericks. We need to come out strong against the Mavs, so conserving energy tonight if at all possible is the smart thing to do.
This Orlando team definitely has some talent on its roster, but they are far from being a playoff ready team, even in the lackluster Eastern Conference. We can look forward to some entertaining matchups, like Nikola Vucevic against Marc Gasol and the aforementioned Victor Oladipo against Jeff Green.
It’s also Vince Carter’s birthday, and a breakout game from him would do a world of good for both him and the squad. Carter has been notably off his game in the last couple of weeks, and while I certainly don’t think it is time to hit the panic button by any means, it would be great to see his shot return sooner rather than later. I would really like to see Vince driving to the basket more and finishing at the rim, I think having a few easy buckets under his belt would be a nice confidence booster, and hopefully open the door for his outside shots to start falling again.
It was announced earlier that Tony Allen did not practice with the team today because of a sprained left ankle, and his status for tonight’s game is questionable. This all but assures we can see Jeff Green starting again on the wing tonight. Green’s established chemistry playing beside Courtney Lee is apparent, and hopefully means his transition into the roster will continue to be smooth.
Tipoff is at 7 pm at the Fed Ex Forum.
Doesn't bluff, stays grinding.
Bluff City Born and Memphis Made
- Memphis Grizzlies Assistant Coach Niele Ivey Named New Head Coach for Notre Dame Women’s Basketball Team - April 22, 2020
- Notes From Grizzlies Media Day 2019 - October 2, 2019
- Memphis Grizzlies 2019 Training Camp Roster - September 30, 2019
