On this 19th day of January 2015, we celebrate a birthday -- an 86th birthday. But, are we really just celebrating a birthday? No, it's so much more. Today is a day to celebrate the life and legacy of a chief spokesman in the civil rights movement, and a man -- equal to all, but better than many in his accomplishments -- that had a dream.

The legacy of Dr. King lives on to this day. It's very easily found in the lives of many former and current NBA players and coaches. Without him and what he stood for, those players and coaches may have never gotten the opportunity to live their dreams. So, today, we as NBA fans will celebrate and remember the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. as we enjoy the excitement of a day full of NBA action.

Let's take a look at two of the biggest contests of the day, analyzing, in true numberFire fashion, the metrics.

Mavericks at Grizzlies

This looks to be a great matchup between the number-two and number-nine teams according to our metrics. The Mavericks come into this matchup with a record of 28-13 -- fifth in the West. Dallas also boasts the third-best offense in the league with an offensive efficiency rating of 112.8 and has been an offensive juggernaut, putting up 108.5 points per game (second in the league). However, Dallas is in the bottom half of the league in terms of defensive numbers. They are 23rd in the league in opponent points per game (102.5).

That could prove to be a problem for the Mavs as the Grizzlies are a much more balanced team. The Grizzlies have improved offensively this year with an offensive efficiency of 108.4 -- good enough for ninth in the league. But they are again a solid defensive team. The Grizz are tied for 10th in the league with a defensive rating of 104.1 while giving up just under 98 points per game to its opponents.

Matchup to Watch: Chandler vs. Gasol

We all kind of figured that the addition of most recent article). A lot of the offensive success is due to the efforts of feels great. He should be feeling great. Though his Bulls are on a little skid, Rose has played 30-plus minutes in each of his last four games while averaging 25.5 points, on 40/77 (52%) shooting, and 8 assists per game.

As for Kyrie, he has been a great scorer this year, averaging 21.2 points per game on 46% shooting from the floor. In his last two games, he's averaged 29.5 points on an outstanding 61.7% shooting. But, he has been struggling on the defensive end of the floor after starting out the season on a high note. He's letting up 111 points per 100 possessions and has only managed 0.7 defensive win shares so far this season. So, we'll have to see if he can contain the new-version of the old D-Rose.