Cleveland is firin’ on all cylinders lately and will play host to the unlucky Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday night.
And here’s how the two teams matchup:
Mike Conley v. Daniel Gibson
Former Ohio State Buckeye Mike Conley has played solid basketball for the Memphis Grizzlies thus far this season. He is averaging better than 10 points and 5 assists a night but, since taking over for Mo Williams and Delonte West, Daniel Gibson has been better. Gibson leads the NBA in the three point percentage (.479) and canned 4 of 5 attempts in Cleveland’s Sunday night beat down of the Clippers. Time to give the sweet stroke of Daniel Gibson a little credit.
Advantage: Daniel Gibson
OJ Mayo v. Anthony Parker
OJ Mayo has played and started all 46 games for the Grizzlies this season and is averaging a very productive 18.3 points a night. The problem is, Mayo’s strength is not shooting the basketball. And that poses a problem when he will be matched up against, in my opinion, one of the better on-the-ball perimeter defenders in the league. Anthony Parker is near the top with his 46% three point shooting and has done a great job spreading the floor for LeBron and Shaq.
Advantage: Anthony Parker
Rudy Gay v. LeBron James
King James proved (again) on Sunday night why he is the most dominate player in the game of basketball. When he is dialed in from long distance like that and, as always, poses the threat of attacking in the rim, LeBron is impossible to stop. Rudy Gay is no slouch though. Gay is averaging about 20 points and 6 rebounds a night for the 25-21 Grizz and will look to attack the basket as much as possible. Too bad there isn’t a player in the world that can match up against the great Akron Hammer.
Advantage: LeBron James
Zach Randolph v. JJ Hickson
Cleveland will be stopped just short of a clean sweep in player matchups tomorrow night because Zach Randolph is a heck of a lot better than JJ Hickson. I am by no means dissin’ JJ. It’s just that Randolph is a stud! Randolph pours in 21 points a night while snagging more than 11 rebounds for the Grizz and will pose a huge matchup problem for Hickson and the Cavaliers.
Advantage: Zach Randolph
Marc Gasol v. Shaquille O’Neal
If Marc Gasol has learned anything from his brother Pau, he’ll decide to come down with the flu or something on Tuesday night. The way he’s been playing these days, nobody in the league wants to take on Shaquille O’Neal. He’s too big and too strong. After putting up about 9 points a night for the first half of the season, O’Neal turned up the volume in the month of January and canned better than 14 points a night.
Advantage: Shaquille O’Neal
Memphis Bench v. Cleveland Bench
Like I’ve said for the past few weeks, Cleveland’s bench is way too strong for arguable anyone in the league to matchup with. The Cavs Bench will take this on by default anyway because Memphis plays their top five for most of the game.
Advantage: Cleveland Bench
Prediction:
After several close games in a row Cleveland has ran over their opponents in the last two match ups. If it weren’t for a prayer from Sundiata Gaines a couple weeks ago we’d be talking about an eleven game winning streak!
Cleveland comes out ready to play on Tuesday night and really hands it to the Grizzlies. The only disappointment in the first half is that they don’t pour in 46 points in the first quarter like they did on Sunday. However, they do go into halftime with a comfortable 59-42 lead.
LeBron drops 37 points on the night followed by Daniel Gibson’s 23 and the Cavs take the win 109-83.