On the same day their biggest offseason acquisition had season-ending shoulder surgery, the Philadelphia 76ers received a boost from an unlikely source.
The streaking Sixers will see if rookie Marreese Speights can produce an encore performance on Wednesday night against a Memphis team that has recently become one of the most unlikely defensive forces in the NBA.
Philadelphia (26-24), looking for its fourth straight win to finish off a season-high seven-game homestand, got a season-high 24 points from Speights in a 108-91 victory over Phoenix on Monday.
Speights shot 11-for-16 from the field to help Philadelphia improve to 13-4 since dropping six of seven from Dec. 20-Jan. 3.
"We did not expect that he would contribute the way he has so quickly," Philadelphia interim coach Tony DiLeo said of Speights, taken with the 16th pick last June. "He can post up and score with both hands around the basket. I think he'll be a good inside player. I think he'll be a good outside player."
Elton Brand provided that same inside-outside threat, but Monday's surgery on his torn labrum means the 76ers will be without him until at least next season. Philadelphia went 13-16 with Brand, who signed a five-year, $80 million contract last summer.
Speights is averaging 10.9 points when Brand has been out -- 2.7 more per game than his season average.
"Marreese Speights was able to show what he can do," Andre Iguodala said on Monday.
Iguodala had 22 points and grabbed seven rebounds, while Thaddeus Young had 25 points on 10-of-14 shooting against the Suns.
Iguodala has showcased his skills in Philadelphia's last three meetings with Memphis (15-36), averaging 26.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 3.0 steals.
Philadelphia is shooting 45.7 percent from the field this season, but could face a stiff challenge on Wednesday if Memphis continues its recent defensive effort.
The Grizzlies won their second straight on Monday, holding the New Orleans Hornets to 29.5 percent shooting in an 85-80 victory. Memphis limited the Toronto Raptors to 29.5 percent in Saturday's 78-70 win.
Memphis, though, is ranked near the bottom of the league in field goal defense at 47.4 percent.
"We are playing defense much better, helping each other, and rebounding great," Darko Milicic said. "We're finishing the game, and that's what's important."
The Grizzlies had a franchise-record 64 rebounds against New Orleans, and now open their three-game trip against a 76ers team that is among the league leaders with 42.9 boards per contest.
O.J. Mayo posted his first career double-double on Monday with 22 points and a season-high 16 rebounds. Mayo -- the NBA's leading rookie scorer at 19.4 points per game -- is averaging 22.6 as the Grizzlies have won four of five.
Coach Lionel Hollins' plan to get Mike Conley more involved in the offense has worked so far. The second-year point guard has scored in double figures in seven straight games, averaging 14.7 points and 6.7 assists during this span.
Hollins said that Rudy Gay, second on the team with 18.8 points per game, will be out until after the All-Star game with a left hip flexor.
Memphis has lost three straight in Philadelphia since a 98-95 win on Feb. 9, 2005.