The Memphis Grizzlies play host to the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night in a crucial Western Conference showdown from the FedExForum. The Lakers have a 3-1 series lead and even though they'll be on the road for this one, have a great chance to close out the series. Over the course of seven meetings this season, including this series, the Lakers have won five of those meetings. Memphis will make it difficult at home and even despite the 3-1 series lead, this has been a closer series than it seems. With a loaded slate on Wednesday night, this could be the top matchup for fans to tune in for.
The Lakers are one win away from staking claim to the Western Conference semifinals, though they know that Wednesday night won't come easily. The Grizzlies have made this series tougher than the 3-1 advantage makes it look and the road hasn't been the kindest to the Lakers this season. With a 21-22 road record on the season, that leaves quite a bit to be desired. They were able to win on the road in game one of the series and will need to harness that performance if they want to close things out. Balance has been key so far in this series but there's no doubt that the Grizzlies have the talent to send things back to Los Angeles if the Lakers don't take advantage.
Injuries have hurt the Lakers throughout the season but it shouldn't come as a surprise that they're healthy as the postseason arrives. With one of the league's most talented rosters, having a full complement of players continues t o be a massive advantage.
Give it up for last night's leading scorer ?? pic.twitter.com/GlIHysUXhN
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) April 26, 2023
Los Angeles' offense has been elite this season and as mentioned earlier, it's only getting stronger as their health has improved. Lebron James and Anthony Davis are well established superstars but it's actually been the emergence of the supporting cast that has been the difference. Austin Reaves has gives this team another scoring option to turn to, while Rui Hachimura is a spark off the bench. Adding to that is a defense with the length to slow down Memphis' perimeter stars and is holding teams to the second-worst three-point percentage in the league. The concern continues to be in the frontcourt and limiting Memphis' second-chance opportunities, though if they can do that, a series win is certainly within reach.