Records: Grizzlies, 4-7; Dallas, 5-7

LINEUPS

Grizzlies: Mike Conley, 6-1, O.J. Mayo, 6-4, Rudy Gay, 6-8, Darrell Arthur, 6-9, Marc Gasol, 7-1.

Mavericks: Jason Kidd, 6-4, Gerald Green, 6-8, Josh Howard, 6-7, Dirk Nowitzki, 7-0, Erick Dampier, 6-11.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

The Grizzlies' last 10 games have been decided by whichever team won the third quarter. Memphis is 4-1 in games in which it has won the third quarter and 0-6 in games the opponent has. In those four wins, the Griz outscored opponents 101-83 (+4.5 points per game) in the third, while they've been outscored 201-151 (-7.1 points per game) in the losses, with the opponents averaging 28.7 points in the frame. The Mavs are averaging 105 points in the last four games after scoring 100-plus points just two times in their first eight games. Dallas is 4-0 when opponents score 89 or fewer points and 1-7 when opponents score 90 or more. The Mavs are holding their opponents to just 40 percent shooting over the past 5 games, including three games in which the opposition has shot less than 39 percent. Over the last four games, Mavs guard Jason Terry has averaged 21.5 points, while Dirk Nowitzki averaged 31.7 points and 12 rebounds in his last three.

THE SKINNY

Memphis' current 11-game losing streak against Dallas is the club's longest active streak against any opponent. The Grizzlies, who are 7-44 all-time against the Mavericks, have won just one game in 14 tries at Dallas since relocating from Vancouver . Josh Howard is listed as day-to-day after he injured his left ankle Wednesday night in Charlotte. Howard was to have tests on the ankle late Thursday when the team returned to Dallas. This game likely will come down to which team is strongest on the boards. Dallas has outrebounded the opposition by an average of 7.2 rebounds over the past nine games. Dallas ranks third in the league in rebounds per game (47.3) and leads the NBA in defensive rebounds per game (34.8).

THE QUOTE

"Dallas is a very dangerous team. We can't go in looking at their record and say it's going to be a cakewalk for us. We have to go and play extremely hard." - Griz reserve forward Hakim Warrick.