In a game that featured two teams in our Top Ten NBA Power Rankings, the Cleveland Cavaliers hosted the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday. The Cavaliers, who have played strong from home this season, won the game in a contest that was not close as time expired.
They put up a double-digit margin of victory in the game, winning by 15 points. The final score was Memphis 113, and Cleveland 128, a result that continues a poor stretch of form for the suddenly-struggling Memphis Grizzlies.
Grizzlies @ Cavaliers Thursday: Darius Garland scores 32
With the loss, the Grizzlies are now 32-20 overall on the season. This was a team that was 31-13 not long ago. Their recent 1-7 stretch is partly related to the injury to Steven Adams, the team's starting center.
Adams has missed the team's last six games and it is thought that he will miss at least two more weeks. Xavier Tillman and Brandon Clarke have seen an increase in minutes in replacing Adams. Neither had a standout game against Cleveland, with Tillman starting but scoring just 6 points and grabbing just 6 rebounds.
Memphis Grizzlies: Recent Form Alert
- Memphis Grizzlies were 31-13 (January 19th, 2023)
- Following Thursday's game, they are 32-20
Meanwhile, the Cavaliers improved to 32-22 with the 15-point victory. The top scorer in the game was Darius Garland. He had an impressive 32 points in the contest, perhaps getting a lot of extra shots after Donovan Mitchell was ejected. As the chart below shows, Cleveland remains an elite team when hosting.
Cleveland Cavaliers: #5 Ranked Team at a Glance
- Overall record: 32-22
- Home record: 22-6
- Away record: 10-16
- Winning/losing streak: W1
- Last ten games: 5-5
Further reading: NBA Power Rankings
