Memphis, TN (My Sportsbook) - The Miami Heat hope to end a two-game skid when they travel to Memphis to take on the Grizzlies at The Pyramid. Miami has dropped seven of its last nine games, most recently a 91-82 setback at the hands of the New Orleans Hornets. Brian Grant scored 24 points and grabbed 15 rebounds, and Travis Best added 17 points and six assists to the losing effort. "We're tired, we're beat up and we're a little short-handed right now," Heat coach Pat Riley said. "Eddie [Jones] and Brian [Grant] are just trying to grind it out. We made a little bit of a comeback, but then [George] Lynch made a big shot and really broke our back." The Heat are 7-23 on the road this season and have a 6-16 mark against teams from the Western Conference. Memphis has lost three of its last four games, most recently a 111-107 setback at the hands of the Philadelphia 76ers. Pau Gasol scored 32 points and grabbed eight rebounds in the loss. "It's hard to play on the road against a team that is doing so well," Gasol said of the Sixers, who have won seven straight. "We deserved the game. We should have grabbed it." Jay Williams added 19 points and seven assists to the losing effort. The Grizzlies are 13-15 at home and have an 8-9 mark against Eastern Conference foes. Memphis won the first meeting of the season 107-96 on December 10 at AmericanAirlines Arena. Miami leads the brief all-time series with the Vancouver/Memphis franchise 9-4. |
