The Memphis Grizzlies should feel pretty good about what they accomplished Friday night. They went on the road, where they hadn't yet won this season, against a team they knew they could beat, and played hard for four quarters for a win to even their record at 3-3. They earned every basket they made and made enough of them to outscore a high-powered offense in Golden State. Now that they have had a day to enjoy that win, they must translate what they did well in that game into tonight's matchup with the 2-3 Denver Nuggets. Denver is coming off a 108-105 win over Dallas on Friday.
Looming large in this matchup is the newest Nugget, Chauncey Billups. Billups, a former University of Colorado star and Denver native, replaces Allen Iverson and poses a threat to the Grizzlies as a potent offensive weapon. The Nuggets are led in scoring by Carmelo Anthony's 23 ppg average. Other key scorers include Nene and Kenyon Martin. Denver features a pretty big lineup and has some bulk inside, meaning Darko Milicic and Marc Gasol must contribute as much as possible in the post.
The keys to victory for the Grizzlies will be limiting Anthony's output and contending for rebounds. The outside shot will be critical when the Nuggets have the lane clogged, which will probably happen on most Grizzlies possessions. Rudy Gay must come through with at least 20 points. The Grizzlies will need to take advantage of fast break opportunities and try to get to the free throw line as much as possible. Smart, efficient possessions will also be a must.
