Memphis @ Los Angeles preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 27, 2019 ) L.A. Clippers 121, Memphis 119

Forward Paul George is listed as doubtful as the Los Angeles Clippers host the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday. George felt tightness in his left hamstring during Thursday's 126-112 win over the Detroit Pistons and it would be no surprise if he is held out on the front side of a back-to-back.

George scored 12 points in the first half before exiting against Detroit while backup power forward Montrezl Harrell led the team with 23 points in its second straight convincing win. "Everybody is ready when their name is called," Harrell said afterward. "We're not really relying on one or two people. We just carried over our defensive mentality in the game and came out with a big win." Memphis arrives with a disappointing result on its mind as the club blew a 20-point, second-quarter lead en route to losing 128-123 to the host Sacramento Kings on Thursday. "We got to know that when a team's down 20 that all those things that we made an emphasis of in the first quarter, you got to take it to another level and it kind of just slipped on us," Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said afterward.

TIME: 3:30 p.m. ET. TV: FS Southeast, Prime Ticket

ABOUT THE GRIZZLIES (13-22): Rookie point guard Ja Morant registered 23 points and seven assists against the Kings but also committed seven turnovers and experienced trouble stopping Sacramento's De'Aaron Fox (27 points). His final-quarter issues were part of the problem as Memphis was outscored 38-26 in the fourth quarter by a team that had lost eight straight games. "We just had to pick our energy up and go on a run of our own," Morant said afterward. "We did get the lead back going into the fourth (quarter) and they finished the game on a run - closed it out."

ABOUT THE CLIPPERS (25-11): Backup guard Lou Williams returned after a one-game absence for the birth of a son and he delivered a solid all-around game with 22 points, five rebounds and five assists versus the Pistons. Williams noted that Los Angeles has never really found its groove due to the season-long injury issues that include George's absence at the beginning of the season due to offseason surgery on both shoulders and continued with point guard's Patrick Beverley's recent wrist injury. "We're just inconsistent right now with so many different lineups and different guys," Williams told reporters. "We're a work in progress. We're going on close to 40 games, getting to the half point in the season so I think we'll get sharper and sharper as time goes on."

BUZZER BEATERS

1. The Clippers won seven of the past 10 meetings, including a 121-119 road victory on Nov. 27.

2. Memphis PF Jaren Jackson Jr. made at least one 3-pointer in 23 straight games, the third-longest streak in franchise history.

3. Los Angeles PF JaMychal Green - a former Memphis player - recorded 12 points and 11 rebounds against Detroit for his third double-double of the season.

PREDICTION: Clippers 117, Grizzlies 107