Grizzlies

If the Lakers make the playoffs, which looks more and more likely, Jerry West has an idea of how they'll do. "I definitely wouldn't want to play them, I know that," West said. "I think they'd have a chance against anyone. " A Hall of Fame player with the Lakers and now an executive with the Golden State Warriors, West mentioned two teams the Lakers wouldn't want to face. The Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs were not among them. "I think if the Lakers would have their preference, they probably wouldn't want to play Denver.

CLIPPERS VS. MEMPHIS When: 7:30. Where: Staples Center. On the air: Prime Ticket; Radio: 980, 1330. Records: Clippers 45-20, Grizzlies 42-19. Record vs. Grizzlies: 2-0. Update: The Clippers lead the NBA in steals at 9.9 per game, and the Grizzlies, going into a game Tuesday night, are fourth at 8.7. Chris Paul leads the league in steals (2.38) and Memphis' Mike Conley is second (2.29). Before playing at Portland on Tuesday night, the Grizzlies had won four consecutive games and nine of their previous 10.

They still have that don't-like-you attitude toward each other, even though the Clippers have won the first two games this season against the Memphis Grizzlies. They still have that show-me-what-you've-got demeanor, even though the Clippers have stood up to the physical Grizzlies. So what began during last season's tug-of-war first-round playoff series extended into this season, with the next chapter coming Wednesday night at Staples Center. "Those guys know what kind of game it's going to be," center DeAndre Jordan said.

Memphis blues Rudy Gay is gone. Marreese Speights , Wayne Ellington and Josh Selby are gone. Could Lionel Hollins be next? The Memphis Grizzlies coach who publicly disagreed with the franchise's decision to trade its best player insisted Friday that he was working in tandem with the new front office under owner Robert Pera . "There's been a lot of negativity around our team, and me and my feelings about the trade and my feelings about management," Hollins said during an emotional and meandering session with reporters.

Forward Tayshaun Prince, who has played his entire 11-year career with the Detroit Pistons, is headed to the Memphis Grizzlies in a three-team trade that will send forward Rudy Gay to the Toronto Raptors and point guard Jose Calderon to the Pistons, according to multiple reports citing unnamed sources. The reports appear to be accurate since all the players whose teams had games tonight were listed as inactive. The three-team deal includes swingman Austin Daye going from Detroit to Memphis, forward Ed Davis going from Toronto to Memphis and center Hamed Haddadi going from Memphis to Toronto.

Rudy Gay is on his way to Toronto in the latest and most dramatic move in the Memphis Grizzlies' makeover, a person with knowledge of the situation told the Associated Press. The Grizzlies agreed to trade their star swingman to the Raptors on Wednesday, parting with the leading scorer on a team that has aspirations of making a run in the powerful Western Conference. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the deal had not yet been announced. The Raptors gave up point guard Jose Calderon and forward Ed Davis in the deal, and another person familiar with the negotiations said the Grizzlies were in discussion with the Detroit Pistons to swap Calderon for Austin Daye and Tayshaun Prince.

According to the Lakers, Dwight Howard has been cleared to play Friday after seeing a shoulder specialist. Dr. James Tibone examined Howard on Thursday, confirming "there is no further damage," after Howard re-aggravated the shoulder Wednesday night as the Lakers lost in Memphis to the Grizzlies, 106-93. Originally injured Jan. 4 by Caron Butler of the Clippers, Howard made it through one more game before sitting out three with what was originally called a torn labrum. Howard later clarified that the labrum itself was not torn but stripped from the bone.

The Lakers (17-24) are set to visit the Memphis Grizzlies (26-13) on Wednesday, hoping to break a three-game losing streak. The last time the Lakers won a road game was Dec. 22 against the Golden State Warriors.  After dropping six away games in a row, can they break the streak against the Grizzlies, who are 15-6 at home? Memphis has real size up front in Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph, two bigs who complement each other. Mike Conley is a steady point guard. Rudy Gay is a capable scorer.

Grizzlies 106, Lakers 93 (final) The Lakers fell to the Memphis Grizzlies, 106-93, losing their fourth consecutive game and seventh in a row on the road. Dwight Howard didn't play in the second half afer re-injuring his shoulder. The Lakers gave the game away in the second quarter, when Memphis scored 35 points to build a nine-point halftime lead. The Grizzlies were in control throughout the second half and the Lakers never really threatened in the fourth quarter. Kobe Bryant led all scorers with 29 points on 11-of-23 shooting.  Three other Lakers notched double-figures with Metta World Peace (15)