CHARLOTTE vs MEMPHIS
When: 2/10/2021 8:00 PM
Where: FedExForum, Memphis

TV: 8:00 PM
LINE: -4
PREDICTION: MEMPHIS , CHARLOTTE

Oddsmakers currently have the Memphis Grizzlies listed as -4 point favorites versus the Charlotte Hornets, while the game’s total is sitting at 226.

The Grizzlies have gone 3-7 in home games. Memphis leads the Western Conference with 53.8 points in the paint led by Valanciunas averaging 11.

The Hornets are 5-6 on the road. Charlotte is last in the Eastern Conference shooting 37.8% from 3-point range.

The two teams square off for the second time this season. The Grizzlies defeated the Hornets 108-93 in their last meeting on Jan. 1. Dillon Brooks led Memphis with 21 points, and Bismack Biyombo paced Charlotte scoring 16 points.

TOP PERFORMERS:

Valanciunas leads the Grizzlies with 10.9 rebounds and averages 15.9 points. Desmond Bane is averaging 1.8 made 3-pointers and 10.7 points over the last 10 games for Memphis.

Gordon Hayward is averaging 22.9 points and 5.5 rebounds for the Hornets. LaMelo Ball is averaging 18.4 points and 5.2 rebounds while shooting 47.0% over the last 10 games for Charlotte.

LAST 10 GAMES:

Grizzlies: 6-4, averaging 113.6 points, 43.4 rebounds, 30.3 assists, 10 steals and 5.7 blocks per game while shooting 47.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 111.5 points on 48.0% shooting.

Hornets: 6-4, averaging 115.4 points, 43.7 rebounds, 27.9 assists, 6.4 steals and 4.6 blocks per game while shooting 45.9% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.4 points on 47.4% shooting.

INJURIES:

Grizzlies: Killian Tillie: out (foot), Brandon Clarke: out (calf), Sean McDermott: out (shoulder), Jaren Jackson Jr.: out (knee), Justise Winslow: out (hip), De’Anthony Melton: out (shoulder).

Hornets: Devonte’ Graham: out (groin).

BOTTOM LINE: Memphis plays the Charlotte Hornets after Jonas Valanciunas’ 27-point, 20-rebound showing in the Grizzlies’ 128-113 loss to the Raptors.

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TORONTO vs MEMPHIS
When: 2/8/2021 8:00 PM
Where:

TV: 8:00 PM
LINE:
PREDICTION: MEMPHIS , TORONTO

Oddsmakers currently have Toronto listed as 2 point favorites versus Memphis, while the game’s total is sitting at 222.

Toronto Raptors (10-13, eighth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Memphis Grizzlies (9-9, 10th in the Western Conference)

Memphis; Monday, 8 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: Memphis will try to end its three-game slide when the Grizzlies take on Toronto.

The Grizzlies have gone 3-6 at home. Memphis is fifth in the Western Conference in rebounding with 45.1 rebounds. Jonas Valanciunas leads the Grizzlies with 10.2 boards.

The Raptors are 4-8 on the road. Toronto ranks eighth in the Eastern Conference with 24.7 assists per game led by Kyle Lowry averaging 7.0.

The matchup Monday is the first meeting this season between the two teams.

TOP PERFORMERS: Ja Morant leads the Grizzlies scoring 18.6 points per game, and is averaging 2.2 rebounds and 7.2 assists. Dillon Brooks is averaging 14 points and 3.1 rebounds while shooting 35.9% over the last 10 games for Memphis.

Fred VanVleet is averaging 20.2 points, 6.3 assists and 1.8 steals for the Raptors. Pascal Siakam is averaging 16.6 points and 6.5 rebounds while shooting 37.4% over the last 10 games for Toronto.

LAST 10 GAMES: Grizzlies: 7-3, averaging 113.8 points, 43.8 rebounds, 30.5 assists, 10.7 steals and 5.9 blocks per game while shooting 48.1% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 109.7 points on 47.2% shooting.

Raptors: 5-5, averaging 113.8 points, 41.8 rebounds, 24.8 assists, 10.3 steals and five blocks per game while shooting 44.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 112.3 points on 47.3% shooting.

INJURIES: Grizzlies: Killian Tillie: out (foot), Brandon Clarke: out (calf), Sean McDermott: out (shoulder), Jaren Jackson Jr.: out (knee), Justise Winslow: out (hip).

Raptors: Patrick McCaw: out (knee), OG Anunoby: out (calf).

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HOUSTON vs MEMPHIS
When: 2/4/2021 9:05 PM
Where:

TV: 9:05 PM
LINE: -1
PREDICTION: MEMPHIS , HOUSTON

Oddsmakers currently have the MEMPHIS listed as -1 point favorites versus the HOUSTON, while the game’s total is sitting at 224.5.

The Houston Rockets had won six consecutive games entering Wednesday, but there was something about the construction of their schedule that offered reason to concern.

The Rockets were set to face the Oklahoma City Thunder in consecutive road games, the second contest coming Wednesday ahead of a Thursday home game against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Houston opened the series in Oklahoma City with a 136-106 win Monday but fell to the Thunder 104-87 Wednesday following a ragged start in which the Rockets looked lethargic and disinterested.

Houston didn’t surrender everything gained with its winning streak. Still, after playing so well on both ends of the court in erasing what had been an uneven start to this season, the Rockets showed little of the verve that helped them climb from near the bottom of the West standings.

The Rockets return home to oppose the Grizzlies seeking not only a return to their winning ways but an effort reflecting their recent improved mentality. Memphis also will look to rebound after its seven-game winning streak ended Tuesday.

Rockets coach Stephen Silas said, “Instead of being like, ‘We’re good, we’re good,’ no, it’s not, ‘We’re good,’ we’ve got to be good. We’ve got to come with the correct approach.”

Houston was without guard John Wall in the second game against the Thunder and will be without guard Victor Oladipo against the Grizzlies, with both avoiding back-to-back games as part of injury-recovery programs. The absence of Wall had little to do with the Rockets’ performance against the Thunder. Instead, it was a lack of early thrust that proved debilitating.

The youthful Grizzlies will certainly provide a test for Houston, one that will require a commitment to solid two-way play from the opening tip. The Rockets are aware of that fact.

“We’ve just got to get going, we have to have a good start,” said Houston guard Eric Gordon, who scored a team-high 22 points in the Wednesday defeat. “We’ve got to knock down shots early, and I think that will get us in an early groove. But it has to be from the start.

“We know Memphis, it’s going to be tough. But we’ve got to go in and fire away early.”

The Grizzlies were rolling before Tuesday when they took a 134-116 drubbing at Indiana. The Pacers shot 59.8 percent from the floor while connecting on 16 of 29 from 3-point range. It was the kind of shooting display that’s easy to shrug off as aberrant — Indiana recorded a season-high point total — especially with Memphis playing for the third time in four days.

Dillon Brooks put up a team-high 25 points for the Grizzles against the Pacers, one of six Memphis players to score in double figures.

After the streak-ending defeats, Memphis and Houston each have a shot at a restart.

“I think we’ve been doing a really good job of competing,” Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said. “I thought our guys competed. Our guys are positive in the locker room ready to rebound and fill our cups up and get ready for Thursday.”

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MEMPHIS vs INDIANA
When: 2/2/2021 8:00 PM
Where:

TV: 8:00 PM
LINE: -6
PREDICTION: INDIANA , MEMPHIS

Oddsmakers currently have the INDIANA listed as -6 point favorites versus the MEMPHIS, while the game’s total is sitting at 221.

The red-hot Memphis Grizzlies take their seven-game winning streak into the second leg of a back-to-back set on Tuesday, facing the Indiana Pacers in Indianapolis.

Memphis blasted the host San Antonio Spurs 133-102 on Monday behind a franchise-record nine players scoring in double figures. Gorgui Dieng led the way with 19 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the floor, and his nine rebounds matched Xavier Tillman for the team high.

The victory was the second for the Grizzlies since they restarted competition on Jan. 30. The NBA postponed five scheduled games over the previous two weeks due to COVID-19 protocols.

“Having fresh legs after having those couple of weeks off (and) our team stayed kind of locked in during that break,” forward Brandon Clarke said to Fox Sports Southeast in his postgame interview regarding the key to back-to-back wins over San Antonio. “There’s some teams and players that would not stay locked in during that, but our team has guys (who) really, really want to win.”

Before the postponements, Memphis welcomed back to the lineup Ja Morant, the 2019-20 NBA Rookie of the Year and the team leader this season in scoring (20.7 points per game) and assists (7.7 per game).

Morant missed eight games with an ankle injury, and the Grizzlies lost four of the first five he was sidelined. Their current winning streak began before his return and continued in his first game back, a 106-104 win over the Eastern Conference-leading Philadelphia 76ers on Jan. 16.

Memphis’ scoring output has increased in each game since Morant’s return, from 106 to 108, then to 129 and 133 in the two wins over the Spurs.

The Grizzlies bring their surging offense against an Indiana defense allowing 111.2 points per game overall and 117.9 per game in losses. The Pacers gave up 119 points their last time out, a nine-point defeat against Philadelphia on Sunday.

“The defensive end is the key,” Indiana guard Malcolm Brogdon said. “Everybody is going to be focused on missed shots, (Philadelphia’s) zone and all that. We just didn’t get stops. Defensively, we may have let up.”

Indiana defense gave up 107.5 points per game in 2019-20, with the increase this season a byproduct of giving up 39.1 percent shooting from 3-point range. That is one of the worst averages in the NBA, after finishing last season with the league’s fourth-best 3-point defense at 34.1 percent allowed.

Memphis comes into Tuesday’s matchup shooting 35.6 percent from outside, ranking near the middle of the NBA. However, its offense focuses instead on interior points, attempting more than double the amount of 2-point field goals than 3-pointers.

The Grizzlies have had to find ways to balance their scoring production with a bevy of absences throughout the season. In addition to Morant’s eight missed games, Memphis has been without Jaren Jackson Jr. (knee) for the duration of the campaign.

Jontay Porter (knee) and Justise Winslow (hip) are out with injuries while Grayson Allen and Jonas Valanciunas missed Monday’s blowout due to COVID-19 protocols.

Indiana has been hindered by its own health concerns. T.J. Warren played only four games before sustaining a foot injury that still has him sidelined.

The Pacers added Caris LeVert from the Brooklyn Nets in a four-team trade that sent two-time All-Star Victor Oladipo to Houston. However, LeVert, a breakout star for the Nets last season, may not play again this season after undergoing surgery for cancer discovered on his kidney during his pre-trade physical.

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MEMPHIS vs SAN ANTONIO
When: 2/1/2021 8:30 PM
Where:

TV: 8:30 PM
LINE: -3
PREDICTION: SAN ANTONIO , MEMPHIS

Oddsmakers currently have the SAN ANTONIO listed as -3 point favorites versus the MEMPHIS, while the game’s total is sitting at .

The Memphis Grizzlies look for their seventh straight win Monday night when they face the Spurs in the second game of a back-to-back set in San Antonio.

The Grizzlies won the first game on Saturday, 129-112, leading throughout before pulling away late behind Ja Morant’s 19 points and 11 assists and double-figure scoring by seven Memphis players.

Memphis recorded season bests in 3-pointers (17) and points scored and matched its season best in assists (34).

“We are continuing to grow as a team and players are stepping up for us big time,” Morant said. “Once we play our type of basketball, good things will happen. We’ve been doing that lately, and that’s six games we’ve won (in a row).”

Memphis was playing for the first time since Jan. 18 after having five games postponed over the past two weeks because of COVID-19 issues that limited player availability.

De’Anthony Melton added a game-high 20 points for Memphis, with Kyle Anderson hitting for 16, Desmond Bane and Gorgui Dieng scoring 15 points apiece, and Dillon Brooks and Brandon Clarke tallying 14 each.

“Our bench was huge for us tonight,” Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins said. “I thought Gorgui had an unbelievable game, Desmond had an unbelievable game and (Melton) had a tremendous game. When you get that production up and down the roster, it’s great to see.”

The Grizzlies played Saturday without usual starters Grayson Allen and Jonas Valanciunas, who were both out due to “health and safety protocols.” Valanciunas is with team and could play Monday.

The Spurs were playing the second of a home back-to-back after beating Denver on Friday and appeared a little worse for the wear. San Antonio fell to 0-3 on the second night of back-to-backs this season. The contest was a classic case of the Grizzlies’ fresh legs — really fresh, in fact — versus San Antonio’s tired ones.

Still, San Antonio cut an 18-point third-quarter Grizzlies’ lead to five, at 110-105, with 5:03 to play. That’s when fatigue — and Memphis’ 3-point shooting — took over, as back-to-back shots from beyond the arc by Brooks and Morant’s floating jumper produced an 8-0 run that allowed the Grizzlies to build enough of a cushion to waltz to the finish line.

“Everybody plays back-to-backs and three in four nights, and it probably showed a little bit on us, but everybody goes through it,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “You just have to play. You know, we got outplayed tonight, that’s the bottom line. I’m not gonna do a clinic for you — we got out played.”

Derrick White, in his first action since missing 14 games with a broken toe, paced the Spurs with 18 points.

Dejounte Murray had 15 points, LaMarcus Aldridge added 14, Keldon Johnson, Lonnie Walker IV and Rudy Gay scored 12 points each, and Patty Mills racked up 10 for San Antonio, which had a three-game win streak snapped.

“We just got to pick up our physicality,” White said. “Memphis shot it really well, made a lot of floaters and tough twos. We’ve just got to watch the film — we’ve got them coming back here Monday so there’s a lot for us to work on.”

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MEMPHIS vs SAN ANTONIO
When: 1/30/2021 8:30 PM
Where:

TV: 8:30 PM
LINE: -3.5
PREDICTION: SAN ANTONIO , MEMPHIS

Oddsmakers currently have the SAN ANTONIO listed as -3.5 point favorites versus the MEMPHIS, while the game’s total is sitting at 221.

Two of the NBA’s hottest teams, the San Antonio Spurs and the Memphis Grizzlies, will look to continue their success when they square off on Saturday for the first of two games in three days in the Alamo City.

Memphis returns to the floor for the first time since Jan. 18 after having five games postponed over the past two weeks because of limited player availability due to COVID-19 protocols.

The Spurs will play the third game of a five-game homestand after handling the red-hot Denver Nuggets 119-109 on Friday behind 30 points and 10 assists from DeMar DeRozan.

Even now, the Grizzlies will not be at full strength, with Jonas Valanciunas and Grayson Allen listed as unavailable for Saturday’s contest because of the health and safety protocols. Valanciunas, however, rejoined the Grizzlies for their road trip. He posted a video on Twitter on Friday of him walking to the team plane, saying that he has recovered from COVID-19.

The Grizzlies got back in the gym on Wednesday for their first practice since the stoppage.

“It was a big step getting back together as a team,” Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said. “They were super excited to be back. It was a competitive gym, as we always have.”

The Grizzlies were the “it” team in the league before they were forced to step off the court, having won a season-high five straight games, their longest winning streak since a seven-game run last January. With a win Saturday, Memphis would start a season 5-1 on the road for the first time in franchise history.

In its most recent game, Memphis defeated the Phoenix Suns 108-104, and for the second consecutive game, seven Grizzlies scored in double figures. Ja Morant (17 points, 10 assists) recorded his first double-double of the season. He has only played in five games because of an ankle injury.

“For me, we’ve won five in a row,” Morant said. “Reset button is nowhere. That thought is not in our minds at all. The biggest part for us is getting our condition back up to the game style. Our chemistry has improved since we started playing together, so I feel like that will be there.”

The Spurs’ win Friday was their third straight, and they snapped the Nuggets’ five-game win streak. San Antonio led by just one point after three quarters but outworked the Nuggets in the fourth, using a 7-0 run midway through the period to build an 11-point advantage. The Spurs turned on the defensive pressure down the stretch to seal the victory.

Dejounte Murray added 26 points for the Spurs while Keldon Johnson had 19 and Patty Mills 17.

The Spurs enjoyed a successful follow-up to a Wednesday win over the Boston Celtics, one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. San Antonio also has wins against the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers this season and already owns a victory over Memphis, on the road, this season.

“We got to continue to want this finish, you know, no matter how hard it gets, no matter who we’re playing against — the best teams or the bottom teams,” DeRozan said. “We’ve got to come out and be greedy and stay consistent. We’ve got to go out there, play our butts off and compete.”

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PHOENIX vs MEMPHIS
When: 1/18/2021 5:00 PM
Where:

TV: 5:00 PM
LINE: 3
PREDICTION: MEMPHIS , PHOENIX

Oddsmakers currently have the MEMPHIS listed as 3 point favorites versus the PHOENIX, while the game’s total is sitting at 224.

The Phoenix Suns are scheduled to return from a COVID-19-mandated week off Monday afternoon when they visit the Memphis Grizzlies for a nationally televised contest on the NBA’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day card.

The Suns last played Jan. 11 in a 128-107 loss to the Washington Wizards, who had multiple players test positive after the game.

Unable to field the minimum required number of players due to contact tracing, the Suns were forced to postpone an entire homestand — Wednesday against Atlanta, Friday against Golden State, and Saturday against Indiana.

The result will be a fourth straight road game Monday and then a fifth Wednesday at Houston. By that point, the Suns will have opened the season with nine of 13 on the road.

The game is as important to the Grizzlies as the Suns. It will be the 19th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Game, one during which Ray Allen, Kenny Smith and WNBA star Nneka Ogwumike will be honored with National Civil Rights Museum Sports Legacy Awards.

“There is always excitement for the MLK game here in Memphis,” Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said Saturday. “So much history with our community rallying around this game and the fans and being in the spotlight and being able to play basketball on this special day means so much to these guys.”

The Grizzlies had a celebration of sorts on Saturday, when they welcomed back Ja Morant in a 106-104 home win over Philadelphia.

The reigning NBA Rookie of the Year had missed eight straight games with a sprained ankle. He put up 17 points and six assists in 31 minutes.

The win was Memphis’ fourth in a row and featured balanced scoring, with seven Grizzlies — including reserves Xavier Tillman, Grayson Allen and Desmond Bane — scoring in double figures.

The Grizzlies and Suns dueled for a play-in spot in the Western Conference playoffs last season. A 3-1 advantage in the season series gave Memphis the No. 9 seed — and a head-to-head with No. 8 Portland — after the Grizzlies and Suns had finished with identical 34-39 records.

The clubs did not face each other in the bubble, where Phoenix went 8-0.

That strong play away from home has carried over to this season, where the Suns already have wins at Sacramento, Utah, Denver and Indiana.

“I’m not quite sure we’re going to call this team special yet, we got a lot more work to do, but we have special people on this team across the board,” Suns coach Monty Williams said after the win at Indiana on Jan. 9. “High-character guys that bring it every day. They put up with me and I’m grateful to have the kind of players that we have.”

Mikal Bridges has been one of the headliners of late. After improving his scoring (8.3 to 9.1) and rebounding (3.2 to 4.0) averages slightly from his rookie year to last season, the third-year pro has exploded this season, currently averaging 15.1 points and 5.4 rebounds.

He was the driving force in the win at Indiana with a career-best 34 points. He followed that with 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting in last Monday’s loss at Washington.

Phoenix is not expecting any COVID-related absences on Monday.

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LA LAKERS vs MEMPHIS
When: 1/3/2021 6:05 PM
Where:

TV: 6:05 PM
LINE: 10
PREDICTION: MEMPHIS , LA LAKERS

Oddsmakers currently have the MEMPHIS listed as 10 point favorites versus the LA LAKERS, while the game’s total is sitting at 222.5.

The Los Angeles Lakers visit the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday in the first of two games during a three-day span between the two teams.

The Lakers captured a pair of wins in three days at San Antonio, including Friday’s 109-103 decision.

Anthony Davis had 34 points 11 rebounds and five assists for the Lakers. LeBron James finished with 26 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for his 22nd triple-double with the Lakers, which moved him past Kobe Bryant into sole possession of third place on the franchise’s all-time list. He now trails Magic Johnson (138) and Elgin Baylor (26).

Dennis Schroder contributed 15 points and Kyle Kuzma chipped in 11.

The Lakers, who are second in the NBA in field-goal percentage at 50.2 percent, shot a season-low 40.6 percent against the Spurs. However, a 9-0 run in the final 2:30 allowed them to prevail.

Lakers coach Frank Vogel said it’s crucial his club wins games during sub-par performances.

“I just think we persisted through our struggles, and that’s going to happen from time to time throughout a long regular season,” Vogel said. “You’re going to have some wins that are uglier than others. We knew coming into this season with the nature of the offseason and what not that there would be some ugly nights. The key is can you find a way to win when you’re not at your best. We were able to do that tonight.”

Dillon Brooks scored 21 points, including five 3-pointers, to lead the short-handed Grizzlies past the Hornets 108-93 on Friday in Charlotte. Kyle Anderson had 18 points and a career-best 11 rebounds for the Grizzlies, who only had nine players available for health reasons.

Brandon Clarke added 15 points, Jonas Valanciunas collected 14 points and 10 boards and Gorgui Dieng had 14 points and eight rebounds.

Memphis recorded a season-high 34 assists. Tyus Jones had 12 of them.

“Guys were hitting (shots) off his passes,” Brooks said of Jones. “He was finding the right guys wide open. He was getting a lot of attention on the defensive end. He was making the right plays.”

The Grizzlies feasted on the Hornets in the third-quarter. Brooks scored 10 points in the quarter as the Grizzlies increased a 53-47 halftime advantage to 83-67. Charlotte never got the deficit below double digits.

Memphis has been without point guard Ja Morant (ankle), who is expected to remain sidelined for another month. An ankle injury also forced reserve guard Grayson Allen to miss the Charlotte game. He’s is listed as day-to-day on the injury report.

“We’re a team where it’s next man up,” Brooks said. “Guys are ready. We play hard in practice, training camp. Guys are confident.”

Injuries and illnesses also have impacted the Lakers. Guard Alex Caruso, who did not make the trip, will miss his fourth consecutive game due to the NBA’s health and safety protocols. Guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was forced to leave the Spurs’ game in the third quarter with an ankle sprain. He is listed as day-to-day.

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MEMPHIS vs CHARLOTTE
When: 1/1/2021 7:00 PM
Where:

TV: 7:00 PM
LINE: -3.5
PREDICTION: CHARLOTTE , MEMPHIS

Oddsmakers currently have the CHARLOTTE listed as -3.5 point favorites versus the MEMPHIS, while the game’s total is sitting at 219.

The Memphis Grizzlies are finding out about their depth without a couple of their starters. The Charlotte Hornets are making parts of their deep roster a focal point.

The Grizzlies and Hornets clash Friday night in Charlotte, N.C., with each team focusing on making sure there are widespread contributions.

The outlook regarding the Grizzlies took an unfortunate turn Monday at Brooklyn, where guard Ja Morant sustained an ankle injury that could cost him a month of playing time. Then the team’s plight was heightened when guard Grayson Allen exited in the first half of Wednesday night’s game at Boston with a left ankle sprain that will keep him out of action.

“Unfortunately, when another guy goes down, we’ve got to rally,” Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins said. “We’re just getting tested really severely right now.”

Morant, the 2019-20 NBA Rookie of the Year, is out three to five weeks. He likely won’t be replaced by just one player.

Memphis didn’t respond well in the first outing since the Morant injury, falling 126-107 at Boston. Now with Allen’s ailment, there’s more to ponder.

“We’re definitely going to have to adjust,” Jenkins said. “Grayson has been a starter for the course of the first couple of games of the season (so) naturally we’re going to have to change. We’re all about finding the best combinations.”

Tyus Jones was in the starting lineup with Morant’s absence. Jonas Valanciunas had 20 points and 11 rebounds for Memphis in the game at Boston.

“We’ll have some different looks, and study that and ultimately what gives us the best chance,” Jenkins said. “The one thing you can always control is how hard you go out there and play.”

Morant scored the game-winning basket last season in a game at Charlotte, so that won’t be repeated with the Grizzlies’ visit this time.

The Grizzlies might be in need of modifying an identity — at least on a short-term basis. On the other hand, the Hornets like the direction they’ve taken.

“An identity now that is growing,” Charlotte coach James Borrego said. “We’re only four games in. We’re growing.”

The Hornets have won two games in a row, both against opponents with significant star power. They edged the Brooklyn Nets for their first victory on Sunday and then put together an even better performance three nights later against the Dallas Mavericks.

Charlotte received 60 points from reserves in the 118-99 rout of the Mavericks.

“Our bench is a strength of ours moving forward,” Borrego said.

First-round draft pick LaMelo Ball led the charge with 22 points in the best game in his young NBA career.

“LaMelo is showing growth every single game,” Borrego said of the guard.

Ball, Miles Bridges and Jalen McDaniels combined for 52 points off the bench.

Among the encouraging parts for Charlotte was that forward Gordon Hayward wasn’t relied upon for key contributions in the Dallas game. Even with a late-game scoring spurt, he had only 11 points, so the Hornets got it done with other primary contributors.

Just because they’ve won a couple of games, the Hornets don’t want to be thinking on too grand of a scale. The objective is to continue to trend with the steady improvement.

“The goal is to get better every game,” Borrego said. “That’s the standard for us.”

Memphis and Charlotte have had ball-handling issues. The Hornets survived 23 turnovers at Dallas, while the Grizzlies gave up 36 points off turnovers to Boston.

“When you turn it over, it’s going to put your defense in a tough spot,” Jenkins said. “I don’t think our defense is all that bad, but when we turn it over and give them easy looks, that’s hard.”

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MEMPHIS vs BROOKLYN
When: 12/28/2020 7:30 PM
Where:

TV: 7:30 PM
LINE:
PREDICTION: BROOKLYN , MEMPHIS

Oddsmakers currently have the BROOKLYN listed as point favorites versus the MEMPHIS, while the game’s total is sitting at .

Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving put together another dynamic scoring display, but for the first time in the young NBA season, it did not result in a win for the Brooklyn Nets.

The Nets will attempt to bounce back from their first loss Monday night when they host the Memphis Grizzlies in the back end of their first back-to-back games.

Brooklyn began the Durant and Irving era by posting consecutive blowout wins over the Golden State Warriors and Boston Celtics, becoming the first team since the 2008-09 Los Angeles Lakers to win its first two games by at least 20 points.

On Sunday, the Nets got another big night from the duo but wound up taking their first loss when their comeback from a 16-point deficit fell short in a 106-104 loss at Charlotte. Durant scored 29 but missed a game-tying fadeaway with seven seconds remaining while Irving finished with 25.

“It’s a long season and a long process, less than 30 days in here,” Nets coach Steve Nash said. “We’re still trying to find ourselves and figure out who we are. They’ve been exceptional thus far with their effort, their engagement. They’ve been exceptional with their effort, and tonight was a little bit of a letdown, but that’s going to happen. When you’re playing basketball, almost every time you can’t be perfect every time.”

Durant and Irving are the first duo in franchise history to score at least 20 points in each of the team’s first three games. It is possible Durant or Irving could sit out Monday due to the back-to-back and the fact that both are coming off injuries, but any decisions likely will be made Monday.

Whatever lineup the Nets use, it is unlikely Spencer Dinwiddie will play Monday. Dinwiddie strained his right knee early in the third quarter making a pass to Durant and did not return, but the Nets did not know the extent of his injury after Sunday’s loss.

One area the Nets hope to correct is controlling the paint. After allowing under 40 percent shooting in its first two games, Brooklyn was outscored 64-26 in the paint against Charlotte.

Memphis heads to Brooklyn after allowing 126.5 points in double-digit home losses to the San Antonio Spurs and Atlanta Hawks. The Grizzlies hope to avoid their first 0-3 start since dropping the first four games of the 2004-05 season.

The Grizzlies are winless despite two big games from Ja Morant, who is averaging 36 points. He scored 44 in Wednesday’s 131-119 loss to San Antonio and followed it with 28 in Saturday’s 122-112 loss to Atlanta, when the Grizzlies were outscored 19-9 in the final 5:03.

Although Morant is off to a strong start offensively, he is getting frustrated by a lack of calls from officials. His frustration earned him a technical foul in the fourth quarter Saturday during a game in which he took four free throws.

“It’s my second year,” Morant said. “I let a lot of stuff slide, but I’m not going for that no more. Everybody who knows me, knows I’m always smiling, laughing, and when somebody gets fed up, that’s what happens.”

Memphis swept the series from the Nets last season, getting a 134-133 overtime home win on Oct. 27, 2019, and a 118-79 rout in Brooklyn on March 4.

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