Atlanta Hawks to Face Grizzlies in the Grind House

The 10-7 Atlanta Hawks will play the 9-7 Memphis Grizzlies Friday night at the FedEx Forum. Can the banged-up Hawks hang with the Grizz in the Grind House?

The Atlanta Hawks will “touch down in the Land of the Delta Blues” when they take on the Memphis Grizzlies tonight at the FedEx Forum. This incarnation of the Memphis Grizzlies is notorious for their defensive tenacity and their imposing physicality, better known as the Grit N’ Grind Grizzlies. Will a tired Atlanta Hawks team have the energy Walk in Memphis?

With the way the Western Conference has shaken out so far the 9-7 Grizzlies are currently fourth in the West, while Atlanta’s a half game better at 10-7 and are in seventh in the East. At Thanksgiving, a strange anomaly exists that the East is better than the West. What is this, the Michael Jordan Era?

-= Related: Atlanta Hawks Drop Close One to Wolves, 99-95 =-

Atlanta will again be without C Tiago Splitter who is dealing with a nagging hip injury, but could have starting SF Kent Bazemore back, who the team has listed as questionable for tonight’s game. Getting Bazemore would stand as a boost for the Atlanta Hawks’ wing depth. You can never have too much wing depth. I’d love to see Baze in the starting lineup, but I’m still skeptical he’ll return against the Grit N’ Grind Grizzlies in the Grindhouse.

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Though it’s still early in the 2015-16 NBA season, I’m eager to see when the Atlanta Hawks hit their stride. Around this time last year, the club began that insane 33-3 run that catapulted the Hawks to a franchise record 60 regular season wins and the top seed in the East for the first time since 1993-94.

While I’m sure HC Mike Budenholzer will ultimately get his team there in the coming weeks, I haven’t seen the Atlanta Hawks do a good job of late closing out teams late or playing their best basketball in the final six minutes. A few of the club’s losses could have been wins had the Hawks been able to play with poise late in games.

Next: Atlanta Hawks: Eastern Conference Power Rankings, Nov. 26

I’m expecting a close game between the Atlanta Hawks and the Memphis Grizzlies tonight. Both teams have been good, but not great thus far. There are so many stellar man-to-man matchups in this game, I can’t wait. Jeff Teague vs. Mike Conley. Kyle Korver vs. Tony Allen. Paul Millsap vs. Zach Randolph. Al Horford vs. Marc Gasol. Hopefully Atlanta can beat the Blue Suede Shoes off the Grizzlies tonight. Let’s Go Hawks!