Check out the Lakers Gameday Preview for injury reports, preview, and probable starting line-ups. Go to Lakers Courtside Connection to get today’s Scouting Report. Also check out Forum Blue & Gold for another game preview. For the opposing view look at the Grizzlies.com preview and Three Shades of Blue. One more thing, it’s Elvis Night at FedEx Forum.
Things Your Already Know:
As been the case for several seasons now, the Grizzlies have one of the league’s worst records, at 10-23, a little more than a third of the way into 
the season. The Grizzlies are still anchored by the post presence of Pau Gasol, but second-year sensation Rudy Gay has emerged as the team’s most reliable option on offense with a team-leading 19 points to go along with almost six rebounds.
The Lakers split their two games with the Grizzlies last season, with Mike Miller and Pau Gasol teaming up to burn the Lakers in their 128-118 victory in Memphis. Gasol always seems to play well against the Lakers as he has the ability to play in the post or move outside, drawing the opposing team’s center outside of the lane.
Things You Might Not Know:
Memphis is 28th in the league in attendance, averaging under 13,000 fans per game even though they play in the FedEx Forum—one of the league’s newest buildings. The lack of support has shown up in the standings as the Grizzlies are only 6-11 at home this season.
After signing a contract with Memphis in the off-season, Darko Milicic continues to disappoint, averaging only 6.6 points and six rebounds in 25 minutes of play. The fourth year big man showed signs of becoming a force inside while playing for Orlando last season, but Milicic has been unable to build on last year’s play.
In his rookie season, Memphis guard Juan Carlos Navarro (Spain) is averaging almost 10 points a night in 23 minutes of action.
Things You Need To Know:
While Gasol and Miller torched the Lakers last season, pesky Grizzlies guard Damon Stoudamire has made a career out of killing L.A., going back to his days as a sharpshooter with the Portland Trailblazers. In addition to Stoudamire, Memphis reserve Stromile Swift has also given the Lakers fits in the past with his exceptional athleticism as a big, so L.A. needs to be weary of Swift and the rest of Memphis’ role players.
The game against Memphis is particularly important for the Lakers as they need to establish momentum before heading off to battle New Orleans the next night. The Lakers have done a much better job this season of playing only one game at a time and refusing to look too far ahead in the schedule, as evidenced in their victory a week and a half ago against the Jazz prior to taking on juggernaut Boston.
L.A. has also done a better job this season of beating the teams it should beat as shown in their easy victories over Philadelphia and Indiana this weekend. It is even more critical that the Lakers easily dispose of the Grizzlies so their starters can get rest before tackling the Hornets on Wednesday night.
