Tonight's game between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Los Angeles Lakers marks a homecoming for Lakers forward Pau Gasol, who makes his first return to Memphis since being traded away last February. It will also be a family reunion of sorts for Pau and his brother, Grizzlies forward Marc, who played together on the Spanish Olympic team in Beijing. The two Gasols have strikingly different playing styles due to different physical characteristics. While Pau is taller and quicker than Marc, his brother brings more power and strength to the game. Marc has provided the physical post presence the Grizzlies haven't had since Bryant Reeves retired. While his offensive production has been lacking, Marc makes up for it with his defense and intelligent play.
The Lakers enter tonight's game having played in three straight hotly contested games, coming out with losses in their last two. Those three games were decided by a total of seven points.
As expected, Kobe Bryant leads the Lakers in scoring at 25.8 ppg, but he has a strong supporting cast this season. As a result, the team is off to an historic start and appears destined to make a return trip to the NBA Finals. Pau averages 17.5 ppg, Andrew Bynum averages 12.3 and veteran point guard Derek Fisher averages 11.2. Bynum has been the biggest surprise this season, stepping up to provide a reliable post presence.
With Bynum set up inside and Gasol and Bryant slashing to the basket, interior defense will be the Grizzlies' priority. Bryant is going to get his points, but the Grizzlies must contain the other two as much as possible. They must win the second-chance points category and challenge the Lakers on the glass on both ends of the floor. Most importantly, they must keep their big guys out of foul trouble.
Darko Milicic is going to need another spectacular performance. The Grizzlies will probably need a double-double from him to be successful. The Lakers love to run, so the Grizzlies can't afford to have a cold shooting night. They need to shoot around 50 percent, limit their turnovers and make the most of their offensive possessions. They need a huge night from Rudy Gay, who seems to be back on track offensively. However, everyone will need to be involved in the scoring. One guy will not be able to beat the Lakers by himself.
