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What you should know as Grizzlies entertain Hawks in preseason home opener



Memphis, which fell 131-115 to the Houston Rockets Tuesday in Birmingham, will face the Atlanta Hawks at 7 p.m., in a contest televised by Fox Sports Southeast - Memphis. It can also be seen on NBA TV.

The tussle will feature two of the league's top rookies, both of whom are coming off strong debuts. Jaren Jackson Jr., the fourth overall pick in June's draft, dropped 15 points on 6-of-6 shooting and had 3 rebounds and 3 assists despite fouling out. The fifth overall pick, Trae Young, gave the Hawks 11 points and eight assists in 20 minutes of his team's 116-102 win over the New Orleans Pelicans Monday. Mike Conley (16) and DeAndre' Bembry (20 off the bench) were the leading scorers in their respective teams' preseason openers.

Afterward, Grizzlies coach J.B. Bickerstaff said he will use the rest of the preseason to experiment with different combinations.

"We'll be fluid," he told Grind City Media Tuesday. "We want to see some pairings and how guys play with one another. Our responsibility is to fill an entire lineup. We've got to find pieces that match. Some guys who may have been starters may have to play with the bench group because that's where they fit best.