In a match between two Western Conference teams that are playing out the remainder of the season, the San Antonio Spurs will host the struggling and depleted Memphis Grizzlies on Friday.

Both Memphis (23-47) and San Antonio (15-54) have been ruled out of contention for the postseason. The Grizzlies’ season was marred by injuries and suspensions, while the Spurs are focused on rebuilding despite having the promising newcomer, Victor Wembanyama, likely to win the Rookie of the Year award.

Memphis has dominated the Spurs in their recent matchups, winning 12 consecutive games since January 2021.

Despite the recent struggles of both teams, the Spurs have shown improvement in their performance, despite a 113-107 defeat against the surging Dallas Mavericks at home.

Tre Jones led the Spurs with 22 points, supported by Devin Vassell with 19 points, Keldon Johnson contributing 14 off the bench, and Jeremy Sochan achieving 13 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists. Wembanyama finished with 12 points, 11 rebounds, six blocks, and three assists, albeit on 3-of-13 shooting.

San Antonio managed to take the lead in the game after being down by seven points at the end of the third quarter. However, the Mavericks surged ahead in the final minutes, handing the Spurs their fourth loss in the last five games.

“We had 16 turnovers — that was the difference in the game,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “I couldn’t be more proud of the way we played. We had made all kinds of mistakes, but so did (Dallas) and they want to win a championship. Our goal is to get better every game individually and team-wise.”

San Antonio is in the midst of an eight-game homestand with three games left and they need to win six of their final 13 games to avoid setting a franchise record for the worst record.

Following a 137-116 defeat against the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco, the Grizzlies are heading to face the Spurs. Memphis gave up 22 consecutive points spanning the second and third quarters, leading to a significant deficit.

Rookie GG Jackson II had a standout performance for Memphis, scoring a season-high 35 points with seven 3-pointers, while Santi Aldama added 27 points with six made from beyond the arc. Jaren Jackson Jr. contributed 28 points, Jake LaRavia scored 12 off the bench, and DeJon Jarreau matched his career-high with 10 rebounds.

Despite their efforts, Memphis has suffered multiple defeats lately, losing four in a row and six out of the last seven games in total. In their recent loss, the Grizzlies attempted a whopping 49 3-pointers.

The Grizzlies had to play without key players like Ja Morant, Brandon Clarke, Derrick Rose, and Marcus Smart due to injuries. This season, Memphis has seen a record 29 players take the court.

“Our guys aren’t hanging their head,” Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins said. “We’ve been dealing with this all season long, literally from the very first game in the season. Our guys have weathered so many storms.”

“So no matter who’s out there, guys are seizing every opportunity, they’re playing extremely hard, they’re working through the mistakes and finding the successes. They’re trying to find chemistry and consistency.”