The Memphis Grizzlies will face the Oklahoma City Thunder tonight in an NBA game that will be live streaming online FREE from the Chesapeake Energy Arena at 8:00 PM ET
On the verge of their longest losing streak in nearly five years, the Thunder look to end their slump by beating the surging Grizzlies on Friday night.
Oklahoma City (43-15) has the best record in the Western Conference and won 23 of its first 26 contests at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Defensive inconsistency, though, has contributed to the Thunder dropping the first three of a six-game homestand and bringing them to the brink of their first four-game skid since April 3-8, 2009.
While losses to Miami and the Los Angeles Clippers may not have been particularly concerning for the Thunder, falling 114-104 to Cleveland on Wednesday was a considerable surprise. Oklahoma City has allowed 106.1 points per game over its last seven after ranking seventh in scoring defense (97.4 ppg) through its first 51 games.
"No one in the locker room, including myself, feels good about it," coach Scott Brooks to the team's website. "The exciting thing is we know we can do better. We just have to maximize our potential.
"Defensively we're not getting after it enough. We just have to keep focusing on that end and it will turn back around for us."
The Thunder won nine straight at home before their current funk, including an 86-77 win over Memphis on Feb. 3 as they allowed their second-fewest points of the season.
"You know it's always going to be a good game," said Memphis big man Marc Gasol, who had 13 points in the last meeting. "Playing over there, you know the place is going to be packed, fans are going to get into it and it's going to feel like a playoff game. We enjoy that."
The Grizzlies (32-24) have won five of six overall after beating the Los Angeles Lakers 108-103 on Wednesday. Gasol finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds, while Courtney Lee scored a team-high 18 points.
Memphis has allowed 84.9 points per game on the road since Jan. 5 -- 8.5 fewer than the NBA's next-best team in that stretch.
The game will be live streaming onnbalivestreamfree.net/ as well as televised regionally on FSOK.
