The Memphis Grizzlies (42-38) play the host Los Angeles Clippers (52-28) at Staples Center on Tuesday.
Memphis comes into this game losing eight of their last nine and it couldn’t come at a worse time. With the playoffs right around the corner, they just continue to slide down the standings. They now find themselves sixth in the west, with a matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder on the horizon. The injuries are the big concern, as they will likely be without Marc Gasol and Mike Conley for the playoffs. The grittiness is admirable with this team, but it just may not be enough ti get them more than a couple of wins in the postseason.
The Clippers come into this game winning nine of their last 10 and are playing their best ball of the season. What's most encouraging is that Blake Griffin is starting to return to his All-Star form and he's the key to this team getting to where they want to be. The Clippers are actually one of only a couple teams in the league who rank top-10 in both scoring and points allowed, which shows how good they can be, even without Griffin. With these two teams going in opposite directions, look for the Clippers to be huge favorite in what's been a rivalry game over past years.
