Game Thread #17, Memphis @ Atlanta, December 3rd

WHO: Memphis (4-13) at Atlanta (10-6)

WHEN: 7pm

WHERE*: Hawks Radio Network, NBA Audio League Pass

*This game is not being televised in Atlanta or in Memphis. If you want to see the game, you'll have to attend.

Injury Report: Speedy Claxton is out (natch). For the Grizzlies, Quinton Ross missed their last game with plantar fasciitis and is listed as day-to-day.

Game Notes

For Entertainment Purposes Only: Atlanta -9, 198.5 o/u

Blogging With the Enemy: 3 Shades of Blue

Vote for NBATV FanNight: Hawks @ Rockets, next Tuesday.

The most important thing about tonight's game: Josh Smith returns. Bad news for a Memphis team that's a below average field goal shooting team to begin with.

Worse news for Memphis: this headline. Not that another article in today's Commercial Appeal, this one offering denials that Rudy Gay is "in a personal battle to keep pace with rookie guard O.J. Mayo's extraordinary scoring" offers much more in the way of a positive vibe from Memphis.

We've got a lot of previews to get through here:

• On the official Memphis site, Brian Tumbleson talks with Hawks BasketBlog's Micah Hart.
• 3 Shades of Blue got in touch with Larry from Hawkstr8talk (Over/under on me being able to type that correctly without looking it up: February 1, 2009.) to add an Atlanta flavor to their preview.
• At Zaza's Playground Drew examines how the current Grizzlies (save the presence of OJ Mayo) resemble the Hawks circa 2005.

This has to be the most hotly anticipated Hawks-Grizzlies matchup ever. If you're in the building and near Section 111, Row E stop by and say hello.