Preview: San Antonio Spurs vs. Memphis Grizzlies – Game #21
Derrick White and the Spurs will try to get revenge against the Grizzlies (Photo via Twitter)
The San Antonio Spurs will attempt to get their revenge tonight versus the Memphis Grizzlies. On Saturday, the Spurs were handily defeated by the Grizzlies by a final score of 129-112. Memphis, who led for the entirety of the second half, got 19 points and 11 assists from Ja Morant and 20 points and five rebounds from De’Anthony Melton.
Derrick White, who was back in action once again, ended up leading the Spurs with 18 points in only 22 minutes. Unfortunately, San Antonio had a few players who really struggled, most notably DeMar DeRozan (five points, one assist and one rebound in 25 minutes).
San Antonio Spurs Injury Update
The best news out of Saturday’s loss is that not only did White play well in his return, he also avoided injury. His previous return lasted only one game. Thankfully, he’s not on the injury report heading into tonight’s game.
In fact, the Spurs injury report for the Spurs is empty. Every player is healthy, however not every player is available. That’s because Luka Samanic and Tre Jones have been sent to the G League to prepare for the abbreviated Austin Spurs season.
San Antonio Spurs Rotation
Last game against the Grizzlies, head coach Gregg Popovich went with a ten-man rotation. Previously, Popovich had used a nine-man rotation — but that changed with the return of White.
If Popovich keeps up with the ten-man rotation, that’s great news for rookie Devin Vassell. He’d likely be the odd man out if the rotation once again gets cut down to nine players.
Streaking Memphis Grizzlies
By beating the Spurs in San Antonio, the Grizzlies extended a few of their streaks. First of all, they’ve now won six games in a row overall. Secondly, they’ve now won four straight road games. Memphis hasn’t lost a road game since Dec. 30 in Boston against the Celtics. Their last loss at home was Jan. 7 versus the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Spurs vs. Grizzlies – How the Spurs Can Get Revenge
The Spurs defense needs to be much improved. Keeping Ja Morant out of the lane will be the first focus. Last game, Morant was able to drive and either score or find teammates seemingly at will.
Beyond Morant, the Spurs need to do a much better job on the boards. Even though the Grizzlies were without center Jonas Valanciunas and despite former Spur Kyle Anderson being their tallest starter, Memphis outrebounded San Antonio 45-38.
Last but not least, the Spurs will need to match the Grizzlies energy. In Saturday’s affair, the Spurs looked lethargic and the Grizzlies looked electric. If the Spurs are to win, they can’t let that happen again.