ducks
04-15-2005, 05:33 PM
Memphis (44-34) at Denver (47-31)
Preview - Box Score - Recap
Game Info: 9:00 pm EDT Fri Apr 15, 2005
TV: GRSN, ALT Add to Calendar
Buy Tickets
The Memphis Grizzlies try for the third time this week to clinch their second straight playoff berth as they continue a four-game road trip against the sizzling Denver Nuggets.
Memphis had a chance to secure a spot in the postseason when it began the trip Monday, but lost 110-89 to the Dallas Mavericks. The Grizzlies failed again to clinch Wednesday with a 100-92 defeat to the Houston Rockets.
Memphis, which concludes its trip Saturday in San Antonio, will only miss the playoffs if it loses its last four games of the season and Minnesota wins its final four. The Timberwolves visit the Utah Jazz on Friday night.
Mike Miller scored a career-high 37 points on 15-for-24 shooting against Houston, but missed his final two attempts in the Grizzlies' last-ditch effort to overcome a 16-point deficit. Pau Gasol added 20 points and eight rebounds for Memphis.
``We still need to get another win and get the pressure off our shoulders,'' Gasol said.
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Memphis still has a chance to finish as high as sixth in the Western Conference, but has a difficult schedule remaining. Following the conclusion of the road trip, the Grizzlies finish the season with home games against San Antonio (58-21) and Dallas (54-24).
``The schedule didn't favor us and we are trying to fight through it and get ready for the playoffs,'' Gasol added. ``We are a deep team with a lot of talented players.''
Denver, which has already secured its second straight playoff appearance, beat the New Orleans Hornets 116-102 Wednesday for its season-high ninth straight win and 23rd in 25 games.
With the win and Seattle's loss to Dallas on Wednesday, the Nuggets moved within three games of the first-place SuperSonics in the Northwest Division with four games remaining for each club. Seattle needs one win, or a loss by Denver, for its first division title since 1998.
The Nuggets' only two losses over the last 25 games are to the Phoenix Suns, who they could meet in the first round of the playoffs.
Denver is in seventh place in the West, while Phoenix leads the conference by 1 1/2 games over San Antonio. If the Spurs overtake the Suns and the Nuggets finish seventh, then Denver and Phoenix would meet in the first round.
The Nuggets trail fifth-place Sacramento by one game and sixth-place Houston by a half-game. They visit the Rockets on Saturday.
``We need to beat Memphis and we need to try and get the one on the road in Houston,'' Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony said. ``We have to get the next two. The next games are playoff games.''
Denver has won 10 straight home games, has matched the fifth-most wins in franchise history, and has moved 16 games over .500 for the first time since finishing the 1987-88 season 54-28.
Preview - Box Score - Recap
Game Info: 9:00 pm EDT Fri Apr 15, 2005
TV: GRSN, ALT Add to Calendar
Buy Tickets
The Memphis Grizzlies try for the third time this week to clinch their second straight playoff berth as they continue a four-game road trip against the sizzling Denver Nuggets.
Memphis had a chance to secure a spot in the postseason when it began the trip Monday, but lost 110-89 to the Dallas Mavericks. The Grizzlies failed again to clinch Wednesday with a 100-92 defeat to the Houston Rockets.
Memphis, which concludes its trip Saturday in San Antonio, will only miss the playoffs if it loses its last four games of the season and Minnesota wins its final four. The Timberwolves visit the Utah Jazz on Friday night.
Mike Miller scored a career-high 37 points on 15-for-24 shooting against Houston, but missed his final two attempts in the Grizzlies' last-ditch effort to overcome a 16-point deficit. Pau Gasol added 20 points and eight rebounds for Memphis.
``We still need to get another win and get the pressure off our shoulders,'' Gasol said.
ADVERTISEMENT
Memphis still has a chance to finish as high as sixth in the Western Conference, but has a difficult schedule remaining. Following the conclusion of the road trip, the Grizzlies finish the season with home games against San Antonio (58-21) and Dallas (54-24).
``The schedule didn't favor us and we are trying to fight through it and get ready for the playoffs,'' Gasol added. ``We are a deep team with a lot of talented players.''
Denver, which has already secured its second straight playoff appearance, beat the New Orleans Hornets 116-102 Wednesday for its season-high ninth straight win and 23rd in 25 games.
With the win and Seattle's loss to Dallas on Wednesday, the Nuggets moved within three games of the first-place SuperSonics in the Northwest Division with four games remaining for each club. Seattle needs one win, or a loss by Denver, for its first division title since 1998.
The Nuggets' only two losses over the last 25 games are to the Phoenix Suns, who they could meet in the first round of the playoffs.
Denver is in seventh place in the West, while Phoenix leads the conference by 1 1/2 games over San Antonio. If the Spurs overtake the Suns and the Nuggets finish seventh, then Denver and Phoenix would meet in the first round.
The Nuggets trail fifth-place Sacramento by one game and sixth-place Houston by a half-game. They visit the Rockets on Saturday.
``We need to beat Memphis and we need to try and get the one on the road in Houston,'' Nuggets forward Carmelo Anthony said. ``We have to get the next two. The next games are playoff games.''
Denver has won 10 straight home games, has matched the fifth-most wins in franchise history, and has moved 16 games over .500 for the first time since finishing the 1987-88 season 54-28.