Memphis Grizzlies vs Houston Rockets NBA Preview Friday 3-30-12
The Memphis Grizzlies and Houston Rockets are in very familiar places. While they’re currently in position to make the playoffs, their respective seedings (or even qualification) are very much in the air as the calendar turns to the final month of this shortened season. Two teams who need wins to solidify their cases for being one of the top eight out West will face off directly Friday night when the sixth-place Grizzlies visit the tied-for-seventh Rockets. This is important for both teams when it comes to possible tiebreakers, as Memphis has a 2-1 season-series lead, winning both games at home. Houston won the first meeting at home, 97-93. Here is a look at what to expect from each team, plus a final score prediction to help you with making your NBA picks for tonight.
Memphis Grizzlies (27-21) @ Houston Rockets (27-24), 8 p.m. ET
The Grizzlies have been struggling to find some consistency lately, going 4-6 after a five-game win streak – though Memphis is coming off consecutive wins at the Lakers (102-96) and at home against Minnesota (93-86) to solidify the current No. 6 position in the West, a half-game behind No. 5 Dallas and a full game behind the Clippers for the No. 4 slot. Memphis has had good success against Houston, but has lost three of its last four road games, and is under .500 on the road this year overall (10-14). Memphis is a respectable 11 th in the league in scoring defense (94 ppg), but has been a mediocre 18 th in scoring (95 ppg). If the shots are falling, Memphis is tough to handle, but it tends to struggle with low-scoring games.
The Rockets are in a dogfight for a playoff spot, sitting in a three-way tie for seventh in the West, but is two games ahead of 10 th and 1.5 games out of sixth. Houston is coming off a 90-81 loss at Dallas – the second loss to the Mavericks in four days. Houston has won four of its last five home games but is just 3-4 in its last seven overall. The Rockets are one of the better offensive teams in the league (98 ppg, ninth in the NBA), but is just 19 th in scoring defense (98 ppg) – which seems to indicate that Houston has success when its shots are falling on the offensive end which has been the trend in recent games, certainly. Before scoring 81 points vs. Dallas, Houston had scored 99 or more in the previous four games (winning three) and has won the last five games in which it scored 100 or more.
The latest NBA odds list the Rockets as a 1-point favorite, while the total sits at 191 points. Both teams have something to play for in this game. Memphis can make a move on the Clippers and Mavericks, while Houston wants to break the logjam and move ahead in the race for the No. 7 spot in the playoff bracket. The Rockets may have a bit more urgency to win this game, but that might also mean Memphis may play a bit looser. Houston has been decent at home, while Memphis is looking to gain some traction on the road. Memphis has been building a little momentum and would continue that with a win. These are two well-matched teams, so look to the home team to squeak it out at the end.
Final Score Prediction: Rockets 96, Grizzlies 93
