The Los Angeles Lakers have an important matchup Sunday against the Memphis Grizzlies, a team riding an eight-game winning streak, the second-longest run in the NBA.
Los Angeles has a winning streak of its own. L.A. has notched four straight wins and won five of its last six. The only loss in that span came against the Grizzlies on the road, so the Lakers are hoping to pull back a win.
After the Lakers defeated the Atlanta Hawks Friday, LeBron James explained the importance of Sunday’s matchup.
“It’s big in the sense we want to continue to play good basketball,” James said. “And that is a team that is playing great basketball, and they’re above us in the standings. I feel like we had a win slipped away last time we were in Memphis, but we want to continue to just play good basketball. We have that opportunity to do it Sunday against a very good team.”
The Lakers are 1-2 against the Grizzlies this season, so a win would tie the season series. That could have playoff implications down the line if both teams are close in the seeding battle, so Los Angeles needs to maintain a high level of energy and intensity to beat a young and gritty Grizzlies squad.
