Memphis Grizzlies guard Tony Allen is expected to return to the team's lineup when they host the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday, reports Ronald Tillery of the Commercial Appeal. Allen has missed 21 games with a hand injury, last playing on Jan. 3 against the Denver Nuggets.
Tony Allen injury: Grizzlies guard returning Friday vs. Clippers
Tony Allen expects to play against the Clippers barring any setbacks.
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Memphis has dealt with injuries throughout the season, also losing Marc Gasol for 23 games, but is still in the hunt for a Western Conference playoff seed. The Grizzlies are just one game behind the Dallas Mavericks for the eighth seed in the West.
Allen averaged 10.2 points on 49 percent shooting to start the season, his best scoring average since the 2006-07 season. He’s been a key to the Grizzlies defense since joining the franchise, and he re-signed with Memphis on a four-year, $20 million contract to stay with the team last summer.
The Grizzlies were rumored to be listening to offers for Allen before the NBA trade deadline passed on Thursday, but they kept their longtime perimeter defense specialist. The first time the Clippers and Grizzlies met this season, Allen was ejected for kicking Chris Paul in the face, which you can see in GIF form below:
The “face kick” is just one of the seven memorable moments Allen has provided Grizzlies fans highlighted over at SB Nation’s Grizzlies blog, Grizzly Bear Blues.
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