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Game day: Warriors vs. Grizzlies preview
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WHO: Grizzlies (1-3) at Warriors (0-2)
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday
TV: CSNBA
RADIO: KNBR 680
LAST GAME: Warriors lost 123-101 in Phoenix on Friday; Grizzlies lost 127-116 in overtime in Sacramento on Monday
SEASON SERIES: First meeting
LAST YEAR: Grizzlies ended a seven-game losing streak to the Warriors by sweeping the three-game season series. Memphis went 24-58 overall, but 3-0 against the Warriors, winning twice at Oracle. O.J. Mayo, then a rookie, averaged 19.0 points per game against the Warriors while Rudy Gay averaged 18.7.
NELLIE WATCH: Still needs 24 wins to break the all-time record for NBA coaching victories.
BACKCOURT WATCH: Size and matchups don't seem to be a concern anymore, especially with news that Stephen Jackson will be starting at power forward, so expect both Monta Ellis and Stephen Curry to play a lot. Mayo, a 6-4 second-year guard who scored 40 against the Nuggets on Sunday and leads the team in scoring at 22.3 points per game, will be a tough assignment for anyone on the Warriors.
OF NOTE:
-- The Grizzlies replaced the Warriors as the youngest team in the league this season, with only one player over 30 (Allen Iverson). The Warriors, who acquired some veterans to play reserve roles in the offseason, are now 10th with an average age of 26.6 years. Surprisingly, Utah is one of the nine teams "younger" than the Warriors.
-- The Warriors' starting lineup of Ellis, Curry, Azubuike, Jackson and Biedrins averages 24.8 years. The Grizzlies' lineup of Mike Conley, O.J. Mayo (who turns 22 on Thursday), Rudy Gay, Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol averages 23.6 years of age. Only two starters in Wednesday's game (Jackson and Randolph) are over 25.
-- Azubuike, making his first start of the season for the Warriors, averaged 15 points and 4.5 rebounds the first two games while making 13-of-21 shots. In 51 starts last year, Azubuike averaged 15.5 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 35.0 minutes.
-- Allen Iverson needs 6 points to become the 16th player in NBA history to reach 24,000 for his career. Iverson, who made his Grizzlies debut with 11 points in 18 minutes off the bench against the Kings, is second in points to Shaquille O'Neal among active players.
-- The Grizzlies have averaged 118 points per game their last three and lead the league in both rebounding and rebounding margin.
-- Monta Ellis has led the Warriors in scoring each of their first two games, averaging 22.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.5 steals. He's also averaging 4.0 turnovers per game.
-- Rookie Stephen Curry, who struggled shooting during the preseason, is 12-of-21 through two games, averaging 13.0 points, 5.5 assists, 2.5 steals and 2.5 turnovers per game.
-- Stephen Jackson is averaging 15.0 points, 2.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists in two games.
-- Anthony Morrow has scored seven points and taken seven shots in each of the first two games. He's only 5-of-14 from the field and 1-of-6 on 3-pointers.
-- Corey Maggette is 5-for-21 from the field, tied with Curry and Azubuike for third-most attempts behind Ellis (39) and Jackson (29).
-- Anthony Randolph, the preseason starter at power forward who, at least for this game, is now the backup center, is averaging 10 points and 5.5 rebounds in inconsistent minutes.
-- Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph is averaging 21.5 points per game and is coming off a 30-point, 16-rebound effort against the Kings.
-- Memphis rookie Hasheem Thabeet, the second overall pick in the draft, has played in three of the Grizzlies' four games, for a total of 25 minutes. In that time, he's recorded 2 points, 8 rebounds, 4 blocks and 9 fouls.
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