Magic-Grizzlies Preview

Points have been tough to come by for the Memphis Grizzlies,

particularly at home.

But they might not need many against the Orlando Magic, who have

also been offensively challenged.

Memphis looks for a fifth straight victory in the series Monday

night when it hosts Orlando.

The Grizzlies (9-10) have lost five of seven, but most puzzling

has been their play in Memphis, where they’ve dropped six of seven

while being held to fewer than 89 points in each of those defeats.

Memphis is 4-7 at home after going 32-9 on its home court in

2012-13.

The Grizzlies shot a season-low 36.5 percent in Saturday’s

108-82 home loss to Golden State, which snapped an 11-game winning

streak over the Warriors.

Stephen Curry’s 15 assists were two more than the Grizzlies had

as a team. Mike Conley was 4 of 12 for 12 points – 5.8 less than

his team-leading average – and has only six assists in his last two

games after averaging 10.8 in his previous four contests.

Also adding to the Grizzlies’ troubles were more injuries.

Already without Marc Gasol indefinitely due to a sprained MCL, Ed

Davis (ankle) sat out and Tony Allen missed his second straight

game due to a hip contusion.

Both are listed as day-to-day, but the Grizzlies also found out

Monday that Quincy Pondexter’s injury was more serious. An MRI on

his right foot revealed a stress fracture that will likely end

Pondexter’s season.

“We’ve got to step it up,” said Zach Randolph, who recently

missed a pair of games after having surgery on an ingrown toenail.

“We’ve just got to come out and play hard. It’s tough.”

One of the biggest concerns for coach Dave Joerger might be on

the boards with Memphis being outrebounded in five of its last six

home games. The Grizzlies are being outrebounded by an average of

4.3 boards in their last seven games overall, which coincides with

the injury to Gasol.

“We need to go out there and take an attitude of competing our

tails off and letting the chips fall where they may,” Joerger said,

“and not worrying about anything on the periphery.”

The Magic (6-14) have been a pushover on the glass, too, getting

outrebounded by an average of 14.0 per contest during a five-game

losing streak.

They were outrebounded 60-43 in a 98-88 loss to Houston on

Sunday, the fourth stop on a six-game road trip. The continued

absence of leading rebounder Nikola Vucevic (10.9 rpg) isn’t

helping matters as he’s missed the last three games due to a

sprained ankle.

Orlando is averaging 93.4 points during its skid compared to

100.0 points during a 6-9 start.

“It’s about everybody being held accountable and doing what they

need to do or it’s going to be a long season,” Glen Davis, who

scored a team-high 18, told the team’s website. “Are we down some

(injured) people? Yeah, we are but it’s time to stop using

everything for an excuse.”

Randolph is averaging 13.5 rebounds over his last six matchups

with the Magic.

The Grizzlies have won the last four meetings by an average of

11.7 points since an 89-72 loss on Nov. 15, 2010.