Spurs-Grizzlies Preview

By TAYLOR BECHTOLD

(AP) -- Although they continue to be a work in progress offensively, the San Antonio Spurs have excelled on the other end while piling up the NBA's second-best record.

The visiting Spurs may have to find a way to contain Marc Gasol on Thursday night when they go after their 12th win in the past 14 meetings with the Memphis Grizzlies.

San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich has voiced his displeasure with his team's scoring woes during an eight-game stretch in which it has averaged just 93.9 points.

The Spurs shot 41.1 percent for the second straight game Wednesday, but bounced back from Monday's 92-89 loss at Chicago with a 95-70 rout of Milwaukee. Tim Duncan led the way with 16 points and 10 rebounds as San Antonio improved to 10-0 at home.

Kawhi Leonard, however, had a season-low 13 points on 3-of-12 shooting after scoring 24.4 per game while shooting 54.8 percent from the field in his previous five. LaMarcus Aldridge also struggled with six points on 3-of-10 shooting after scoring 21 against the Bulls.

San Antonio, though, continues to shine with an 88.8 defensive scoring average that easily leads the NBA. It limited the Bucks to a season low point total and shooting percentage (33.8).

"It's coming around. We continue to improve (defensively)," Duncan said. "It's what we want to do. A great effort all around. Pop is still on us about the mistakes we made, but you look up at the scoreboard and they score 70 in a night."

The Spurs (15-4) held Memphis (11-8) to 43.2 percent shooting - including 1 of 9 from 3-point range - in a 92-82 home win Nov. 21. Gasol finished with just eight points on 3-of-9 shooting as the Grizzlies lost for the 11th time in the past 13 meetings in this series, including a four-game sweep in the 2013 Western Conference finals.

The All-Star center had averaged 11.2 points over his previous five games before breaking out with a career-high 38 points and a season-high 13 rebounds in Tuesday's 113-104 win at New Orleans. He also went a career-best 16 for 16 from the free-throw line.

"It's been a tough week to 10 days as far as me playing and I wanted to take a different approach to the game and it worked," Gasol said. "I imposed a little bit my will. ... Instead of trying to get somebody else going or trying to read and see what was in front of me, I just went ahead and tried to be a little more aggressive."

Mike Conley had 11 points Tuesday after averaging 20.0 over his previous eight games. He's scored 27.8 while hitting 10 for 16 from long range in his last four at home versus San Antonio.

The Grizzlies, who have won five of their last six at home, have found the defensive form that has keyed their success in recent seasons. They're allowing an average of 95.6 points over their last seven games after giving up 102.2 in their first 12.

"We cannot keep trading baskets because we're just not that good at it," Gasol said.

Memphis snapped a five-game home losing streak to the Spurs that included the playoffs with a 95-87 victory Dec. 30 in the most recent matchup at the FedExForum.