The Dallas Mavericks (13-8) play host to the Memphis Grizzlies (14-7) on Tuesday night in this first meeting of division foes this season. The game, with tip-off set for 7:30 PM CT broadcast locally on channel 29 or streamed through MavsTV, features two of the hottest teams in the league of late — the Mavericks are riding a four-game win streak and our winners of eight in their last nine games, while the Grizzlies arrive in Dallas with as six-game win streak and are 11-4 since the beginning of November.

This also marks the final game of Group Play in the league’s NBA Cup tournament. The Mavericks find themselves in second in West Group C with a decent chance of advancing to the knockout rounds should they win Tuesday, with the Grizzlies already eliminated. Both teams have battled injury already this season. Dallas’ injury report has been a whack-a-mole of who might pop in and out of availability. The Grizzlies are currently without rookie center Zach Edey, and star guard Ja Morant has missed extended time with hip and knee issues. When these teams have played at strength in the past they’ve put together some tightly contested bouts. Here’s what we’ll look for Tuesday.

Grimes’ growing role

Initial injury reports list Naji Marshall out (illness) and Klay Thompson questionable (plantar fascia) going into Tuesday. That is in addition to guard Dante Exum still being out recovering from wrist surgery, and starting center Dereck Lively II questionable due to a knee hyperextension that kept him out of the Mavericks’ win against the Trail Blazers.

But focusing in on the absence of Marshall, and Thompson possibly missing his fifth straight game, Quentin Grimes will likely be tasked with a larger role once again — something he’s shown to be more than comfortable accepting. Over the last three games, all as starter, the 24 year old is averaging 24.3 points and five rebounds while shooting 54-percent from three. In his seven games as a starters he’s grabbed 11 stocks (steals + blocks) while amassing just seven in his 12 games as a reserve. All this to say Jason Kidd has entrusted the first-year Maverick with more responsibility, even more in his time of need, and Grimes has answered the call.

Keeping pace

These two teams are currently tied for fourth in the league in Offensive-rating and are sixth and seventh in Defensive-rating, with Memphis just 1.8 ahead of Dallas (respectively fifth and seventh in Net-rating). They both have been effective at both ends of the floor, but Memphis is playing at a quicker pace.

The difference between the Grizzlies’ 104.07 possession pace (third in the league) to the Mavericks’ 100.43 possession pace (ninth) is, in the grand scheme, not a huge jump. But it’s worth keeping in mind that Dallas finished last season seventh in pace playing at the fastest clip of the Luka Doncic era. The Mavericks are coming off a long travel road back-to-back. While the Grizzlies just finished a four-game homestand, all wins of 10 points or more. They’ve played one road game since November 17. Expect Memphis to try and get things running. Even if Dallas is more comfortable in that mode than they used to be, players in and out with injury could mean tired legs.

Win the lane

Both of these teams like to operate in the lane on offense. Memphis is second in the league with nearly 49-percent of their point coming in the paint. For Dallas they are close behind, 46.3-percent of their points hitting in the paint, fourth in the league. Neither team has been particularly stifling defensively, both middle of the pack in that regard.

The Mavericks possibly being without Lively poses some trouble for Dallas to shut off Memphis’ priority on offense — the Grizzlies lead the league with 59.2 points in the paint per game. The team that wins this margin likely wins the game, so the Mavericks may need to get creative in how they clamp down their driving attack.

How to watch

Tip-off is set for 7:30 PM CT and can be watched locally on Channel 29 or streamed through MavsTV.