Memphis Grizzlies will be unrecognizable in return home

There are only two home games remaining for the Grizzlies, and Friday’s game against the Sacramento Kings will appear as though a bunch of strangers moved into FedExForum.

Grizzlies center Marc Gasol will not play because he’s been given the night off for rest. Tyreke Evans still is not with the team due to personal reasons.

Memphis won’t employ JaMychal Green (knee soreness), Andrew Harrison (wrist injury), Jarell Martin (left ankle), Chandler Parsons (knee soreness) and Wayne Selden (knee soreness).

Yes, you might need a program — an NBA G League program — to recognize the different lineups that the Grizzlies will field.

Memphis (21-57) only has eyes on the future.

That means management has placed an importance on a race on the bottom of the standings to increase the Grizzlies’ odds of earning the most pingpong combinations in the NBA draft lottery. Grizzlies brass is also using the end of this regular season to evaluate young players intended to be part of the team’s future.

Rookie forward Ivan Rabb is a beneficiary of the Grizzlies’ late-season strategy.

He’s coming off a 16-point, seven-rebound performance Wednesday night during a loss against a New Orleans Pelicans squad trying to earn a playoff berth.

“Ivan competed his tail off,” Grizzlies interim coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “He showed the ability to score the ball on the block and he showed his will to not give in. I watched him compete on the glass whether he was outsized physically. It didn’t matter to him. He continued to be aggressive on the glass. He never backed down once. He had a matchup with Anthony Davis. He went after Anthony Davis. He showed no fear.”