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Clippers, Grizzlies search for positives

Jan 26, 2008 - 2:57 PM LA Clippers (13-26) at Memphis (12-31) 8:00 pm EST

MEMPHIS, Tennessee (Ticker) - In a season full of positive NBA stories from the Boston Celtics' resurgence in the East to the Portland Trail Blazers' exuberance of youth out West, the Los Angeles Clippers and Memphis Grizzlies have had little to celebrate.

The Grizzlies will look to snap a two-game slide when they host the Clippers on Saturday.

Memphis finished with the worst record in the NBA last season, and the current campaign has brought on only a modest improvement. Youngsters Mike Conley Jr., Juan Carlos Navarro and Kyle Lowry have shown flashes of promise while second-year forward Rudy Gay has become the team's go-to scorer, averaging 19.4 points per game.

Conley and star center Pau Gasol both sat out Friday's 104-93 loss at Washington with nagging injuries and are listed as day-to-day. Mike Miller led the way with 21 points in the setback, the club's seventh in the last nine games.

The Clippers may have even less to cheer about than the Grizzlies. With less young talent to get excited about and a pair of star players - Elton Brand and Shaun Livingston - slowly making their way back from major injuries, Los Angeles has won just four of its last 17 games.

The Clippers dropped a 111-92 decision to the New Orleans Hornets on Friday. The Hornets dominated the paint with a 49-38 rebounding advantage and connected on 14-of-24 3-point attempts.

Los Angeles won the first meeting of the season between the teams, 98-91, on December 14. Chris Kaman led the charge for the Clippers with 23 points and 16 rebounds.