While the Spurs hold a 2.5-game lead over the Grizzlies in the Southwest Division, the two teams are actually even in the loss column, with the Spurs (29-11) having played five more games than the Grizzlies (24-11). The Grizz will play one of those extra contests tonight, but it won't be easy to pick up a game in the standings on San Antonio, with the Clippers coming to town. As we look forward to what should be the game of the night in Memphis, let's round up a few items out of the Southwest….
- Within his mailbag at NBA.com, Sam Smith of Bulls.com writes that even after signing Omer Asik away from the Bulls last summer, the Rockets had talks about packaging him in a deal for a higher-level player. Smith suggests that perhaps the Heat could be a match in such a trade, with Chris Bosh going the other way, but it appears that's just his own speculation.
- Hornets GM Dell Demps spoke to Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld about finally getting a chance to see his team's core players all healthy at the same time and evaluate the roster. Demps indicated that he could be active at the trade deadline, though he isn't expecting to aggressively pursue a move: "I think we’ll listen. If there’s something out there that will make us significantly better for the long-term I think we’ll look at it. Actually, I like our group. I like our young guys. I want to really evaluate them over the next month playing together and see that chemistry there. For the last week or so I think we’ve been playing pretty good, we’ll see how it goes over the next few games."
- There have been no talks about a contract extension between new Grizzlies ownership and coach Lionel Hollins, who's in the last year of his deal, writes Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal.