MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) The Memphis Grizzlies held on for a big win to tighten the Western Conference race for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

Marc Gasol scored 18 points, Rudy Gay had 16 and the Grizzlies beat the Clippers 94-85 Monday night, moving one-half game behind Los Angeles for the fourth seed in the West

”It’s the wild, wild West,” said Grizzlies guard O.J. Mayo, who had 13 points. ”You look in the (Eastern Conference). When you get down to the last five or six games, a lot of teams pretty much start resting. In the West, that’s not possible. Every game counts down the stretch. You can lose two or three, and have a tough opponent in the first round.

”Everyone is really close, and we moved that much closer to the fourth spot. We’ve just got to keep playing well.”

The game had the atmosphere of a playoff matchup. The Memphis crowd was intense, the play on the floor was physical and emotions were high with a lot of players barking about calls.

The aggressive play was part of the Grizzlies’ strategy.

”We didn’t want them to run free and get a bunch of lobs,” Memphis coach Lionel Hollins said. ”Just be physical and aggressive with them, and I thought we accomplished that.

”We held them to 85 points, and they can score.”

Mike Conley also scored 13 points for Memphis, which won for the eighth time in 10 games. Marreese Speights had 12 points and Zach Randolph added 10 points and 12 rebounds as the Grizzlies finished with a 48-36 rebounding edge, but committed 20 turnovers.

”That was probably the only negative I saw – the 20 turnovers, and that we gave up 29 points (off turnovers),” Hollins said. ”But the rest of the game was really outstanding.”

Chris Paul led Los Angeles with 21 points and six assists, while Blake Griffin had 19 points on 9-of-14 shooting from the field. DeAndre Jordan added 14 points and 14 rebounds, and Eric Bledsoe and Randy Foye scored 11 points each.

The Clippers snapped a two-game winning streak and lost for just the second time in 10 games.

”I couldn’t make a shot,” said Paul who was 7 for 17 from the floor, and missed three of his four attempts from outside the arc. ”I couldn’t throw a rock in the ocean. We had a lot of easy ones that we just couldn’t convert.”

The Clippers pulled to 86-83 with 55.8 seconds left on Jordan’s dunk. But Memphis hit all six of its free throws, including four by Conley, in the final 31 seconds to preserve the victory.

The Grizzlies led 52-41 at halftime despite committing seven turnovers, a prelude to a night of miscues. Memphis overcame the ballhandling problems by shooting 55 percent and controlling the boards, 23-18 before the break.

”They are one of the best rebounding teams in the league,” Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro said. ”I thought we did a good job handling some of the pressure, but we did not rebound the ball well, especially in the first half. They were more physical, and we struggled to shoot the ball.”

Memphis finished shooting 50 percent, while the Clippers were limited to 41 percent.

Gasol led the Grizzlies with 12 points in the first half. No Clippers player had reached double figures, but Paul and Foye had nine apiece and Griffin had eight. Griffin also spent some time on the bench with two fouls.

The Clippers, who committed five turnovers in the half, including two in the final minute, shot 37 percent before the break.

Memphis extended the lead to 15 early in the second half, and maintained a double-digit margin through much of the third quarter. The Grizzlies led 71-60 heading to the fourth.

Bledsoe’s layup got the Clippers’ deficit under double digits to start the final period, but Mayo scored a pair of baskets, extending the lead to 81-64 with 7 minutes left.

Griffin and Paul were on the bench at the time. When they returned during the middle portion of the fourth, consecutive baskets by Paul pulled Los Angeles to 84-74 with 3:14 left.

Paul’s 3-point play with 1:22 left got the Clippers to 86-81, the closest they had been since the latter stages of the first half. A dunk by Jordan with 55.8 seconds left got them even closer at 86-83.

But Gay got a feed from Mayo on the baseline with the Clippers overplaying defensively and his dunk put the Grizzlies up five. Gay followed with two free throws after Paul’s turnover, and Conley converted the final four free throws.

”We got stops,” Griffin said of the comeback. ”We got in the open court and got some easy buckets. Once that happens, some shots start to fall. We fought back, but obviously didn’t finish it out, and that was the problem.”

No one had to point out how close the two teams are or could ignore the possibility of a first-round 4 vs. 5 matchup.

”We are right there,” Griffin said. ”We are going back and forth. We very likely could (face each other), and we are excited about that.”

”We wanted to get this win for ourselves,” Conley said. ”We want to move up and get the fourth spot and go even further if we can.”

NOTES: Memphis assistant coach Barry Hecker was back on the Grizzlies’ bench Monday night. Hecker missed Saturday’s home win over Dallas with an illness. He said it was the first game he has missed since he began his coaching career in 1971. … Memphis recalled rookie G Josh Selby from Reno of the NBADL. … Randolph played despite being involved in a minor car accident earlier Monday. There were no injuries. Randolph tweeted shortly after the wreck that he was not injured except for a sore back. With the back end of that car falling off, Randolph drove his Rolls Royce convertible to the arena. ”I was kind of scared,” he said of driving the Rolls. … Despite the loss, the Clippers still hold the tiebreaker with a 2-1 advantage in the season series. .Griffin, the league’s sixth-leading rebounder at 11.0 per game, had only six Monday night, his second lowest-game of the season. .Jordan had his eight double-double of the season.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP)

The Memphis Grizzlies held on for a big win to tighten the Western Conference race for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

Marc Gasol scored 18 points, Rudy Gay had 16 and the Grizzlies beat the Clippers 94-85 Monday night, moving one-half game behind Los Angeles for the fourth seed in the West

”It’s the wild, wild West,” said Grizzlies guard O.J. Mayo, who had 13 points. ”You look in the (Eastern Conference). When you get down to the last five or six games, a lot of teams pretty much start resting. In the West, that’s not possible. Every game counts down the stretch. You can lose two or three, and have a tough opponent in the first round.

”Everyone is really close, and we moved that much closer to the fourth spot. We’ve just got to keep playing well.”

The game had the atmosphere of a playoff matchup. The Memphis crowd was intense, the play on the floor was physical and emotions were high with a lot of players barking about calls.

The aggressive play was part of the Grizzlies’ strategy.

”We didn’t want them to run free and get a bunch of lobs,” Memphis coach Lionel Hollins said. ”Just be physical and aggressive with them, and I thought we accomplished that.

”We held them to 85 points, and they can score.”

Mike Conley also scored 13 points for Memphis, which won for the eighth time in 10 games. Marreese Speights had 12 points and Zach Randolph added 10 points and 12 rebounds as the Grizzlies finished with a 48-36 rebounding edge, but committed 20 turnovers.

”That was probably the only negative I saw: the 20 turnovers, and that we gave up 29 points (off turnovers),” Hollins said. ”But the rest of the game was really outstanding.”

Chris Paul led Los Angeles with 21 points and six assists, while Blake Griffin had 19 points on 9-of-14 shooting from the field. DeAndre Jordan added 14 points and 14 rebounds, and Eric Bledsoe and Randy Foye scored 11 points each.

The Clippers snapped a two-game winning streak and lost for just the second time in 10 games.

”I couldn’t make a shot,” said Paul who was 7 for 17 from the floor and missed three of his four attempts from outside the arc. ”I couldn’t throw a rock in the ocean. We had a lot of easy ones that we just couldn’t convert.”

The Clippers pulled to 86-83 with 55.8 seconds left on Jordan’s dunk. But Memphis hit all six of its free throws, including four by Conley, in the final 31 seconds to preserve the victory.

The Grizzlies led 52-41 at halftime despite committing seven turnovers, a prelude to a night of miscues. Memphis overcame the ballhandling problems by shooting 55 percent and controlling the boards, 23-18 before the break.

”They are one of the best rebounding teams in the league,” Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro said. ”I thought we did a good job handling some of the pressure, but we did not rebound the ball well, especially in the first half. They were more physical, and we struggled to shoot the ball.”

Memphis finished shooting 50 percent, while the Clippers were limited to 41 percent.

Gasol led the Grizzlies with 12 points in the first half. No Clippers player had reached double figures, but Paul and Foye had nine apiece and Griffin had eight. Griffin also spent some time on the bench with two fouls.

The Clippers, who committed five turnovers in the half, including two in the final minute, shot 37 percent before the break.

Memphis extended the lead to 15 early in the second half, and maintained a double-digit margin through much of the third quarter. The Grizzlies led 71-60 heading to the fourth.

Bledsoe’s layup got the Clippers’ deficit under double digits to start the final period, but Mayo scored a pair of baskets, extending the lead to 81-64 with 7 minutes left.

Griffin and Paul were on the bench at the time. When they returned during the middle portion of the fourth, consecutive baskets by Paul pulled Los Angeles to 84-74 with 3:14 left.

Paul’s 3-point play with 1:22 left got the Clippers to 86-81, the closest they had been since the latter stages of the first half. A dunk by Jordan with 55.8 seconds left got them even closer at 86-83.

But Gay got a feed from Mayo on the baseline with the Clippers overplaying defensively and his dunk put the Grizzlies up five. Gay followed with two free throws after Paul’s turnover, and Conley converted the final four free throws.

”We got stops,” Griffin said of the comeback. ”We got in the open court and got some easy buckets. Once that happens, some shots start to fall. We fought back, but obviously didn’t finish it out, and that was the problem.”

No one had to point out how close the two teams are or could ignore the possibility of a first-round 4 vs. 5 matchup.

”We are right there,” Griffin said. ”We are going back and forth. We very likely could (face each other), and we are excited about that.”

”We wanted to get this win for ourselves,” Conley said. ”We want to move up and get the fourth spot and go even further if we can.”

NOTES: Memphis assistant coach Barry Hecker was back on the Grizzlies’ bench Monday night. Hecker missed Saturday’s home win over Dallas with an illness. He said it was the first game he has missed since he began his coaching career in 1971. … Memphis recalled rookie G Josh Selby from Reno of the NBADL. … Randolph played despite being involved in a minor car accident earlier Monday. There were no injuries. Randolph tweeted shortly after the wreck that he was not injured except for a sore back. With the back end of that car falling off, Randolph drove his Rolls Royce convertible to the arena. ”I was kind of scared,” he said of driving the Rolls. … Despite the loss, the Clippers still hold the tiebreaker with a 2-1 advantage in the season series. .Griffin, the league’s sixth-leading rebounder at 11.0 per game, had only six Monday night, his second lowest-game of the season. .Jordan had his eight double-double of the season.

MEMPHIS, Tenn.
– Marc Gasol scored 18 points, Rudy Gay had 16 and the Memphis Grizzlies held on to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 94-85 on Monday night.

Mike Conley and O.J. Mayo added 13 each for Memphis, which won for the eighth time in 10 games and moved one-half game behind the Clippers for the fourth seed in the Western Conference.

Marreese Speights finished had 12 points and Zach Randolph added 10 points and 12 rebounds as the Grizzlies finished with a 48-36 rebounding edge, but committed 20 turnovers.

Chris Paul led Los Angeles with 21 points and six assists, while Blake Griffin had 19 points on 9-of-14 shooting from the field. DeAndre Jordan added 14 points and 14 rebounds, and Eric Bledsoe and Randy Foye scored 11 points each.

The Clippers snapped a two-game winning streak and lost for just the second time in 10 games.

The game had the atmosphere of a playoff matchup. The Memphis crowd was intense, the play on the floor was physical and emotions were high with a lot of players barking about calls.

The Clippers pulled to 86-83 with 55.8 seconds left on Jordan’s dunk. But Memphis hit all six of its free throws, including four by Conley, in the final 31 seconds to preserve the victory.

The Grizzlies led 52-41 at halftime despite committing seven turnovers. Memphis overcame the ballhandling problems by shooting 55 percent and controlling the boards, 23-18.

Memphis finished shooting 50 percent, while the Clippers were limited to 41 percent.

Gasol led the Grizzlies with 12 points in the first half. No Clippers player had reached double figures, but Paul and Foye had nine apiece and Griffin had 8. Griffin also spent some time on the bench with two fouls.

Memphis’ 11-point halftime lead was its largest at the break this season.

The Clippers, who committed five turnovers, including two in the final minute of the half, shot 37 percent before the break.

Memphis extended the lead to 15 early in the second half, and maintained a double-digit margin through much of the third quarter. The Grizzlies led 71-60 heading to the fourth.

Bledsoe’s layup got the Clippers’ deficit under double digits to start the final period, but Memphis started feeding Randolph, then Mayo scored a pair of baskets, extending the lead to 81-64 with 7 minutes left.

Griffin and Paul were on the bench at the time. When they returned during the middle portion of the fourth, consecutive baskets by Paul pulled Los Angeles to 84-74 with 3:14 left.

Paul’s 3-point play with 1:22 left got the Clippers to 86-81, the closest they had been since the latter stages of the first half. A dunk by Jordan with 55.8 seconds left got them even closer at 86-83.

But Gay got a feed from Mayo on the baseline with the Clippers overplaying defensively and his dunk put the Grizzlies up five. Gay followed with two free throws after Paul’s turnover, and Conley converted the final four free throws.

NOTES: Memphis assistant coach Barry Hecker was back on the Grizzlies’ bench Monday night. Hecker missed Saturday’s home win over Dallas with an illness. He said it was the first game he has missed since he began his coaching career in 1971. … Memphis recalled rookie G Josh Selby from Reno of the NBADL. … Randolph played despite being involved in a minor car accident earlier Monday. There were no injuries. Randolph tweeted shortly after the wreck that he was not injured except for a sore back. … Despite the loss, the Clippers still hold the tiebreaker with a 2-1 advantage in the season series.

The Memphis Grizzlies signed Gilbert Arenas for the remainder of the season, filling a need at point guard.

Memphis officials confirmed the signing Tuesday. Contract details were not immediately available.

The oft-injured free agent had not played since finishing last season with the Orlando Magic.

Arenas worked out for Memphis on Monday and will be used to back up point guard Mike Conley, who hasn’t had reliable relief all season.

The 30-year-old Arenas has averaged 21.2 points and 5.4 assists per game in his nine-year career but is no longer an elite player because of knee injuries. The Magic traded the Washington Wizards for Arenas last season but then waived him in December through the new amnesty clause so his contract wouldn’t count against the salary cap.

Utah’s Howard to miss rest of season

Utah Jazz forward Josh Howard is expected to miss the rest of the season because of an injured left knee.

The Jazz said that an MRI exam revealed a chip in cartilage in Howard’s knee, an injury that will require surgery.

Howard, who signed with the Jazz as a free agent in December, averaged 8.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 41 games for the Jazz this season.

A 2007 All-Star, Howard has averaged 14.5 points and 5.8 rebounds a game over a nine-year career that has also included stops in Dallas and Washington.

Philadelphia waives Nocioni

The Philadelphia 76ers waived forward Andres Nocioni.

Nocioni averaged 1.5 points and 1.3 rebounds in 11 games this season. Nocioni last played March 7 against Boston, when he scored one point.

He was acquired from Sacramento, along with Spencer Hawes, for Samuel Dalembert on June 17, 2010.

The 76ers roster stands at 13.

For a while, it seemed the Memphis Grizzlies might not follow up the promise
of last season’s impressive finish. They’re quickly erasing those concerns and
must feel good about continuing to do so with their top player nearing a return.

Only two Western Conference teams have a better record than Memphis, which
enters Saturday night’s road game against the Phoenix Suns seeking a sixth
consecutive victory.

A 46-win season in 2010-11 and a playoff upset of top-seeded San Antonio had
Grizzlies fans excited going into this winter, but an inconsistent first six
weeks and an injury to Zach Randolph tempered that optimism.

However, just over a month after a 2-7 slump left them with the West’s
fifth-worst record, the Grizzlies (23-15) now sit below only Oklahoma City and
the Spurs.

They’ve won five straight and nine of 10 even with Randolph sidelined by a
torn knee ligament. The 2011 All-Star, Memphis’ top scorer and rebounder last
season, has been out since Jan. 1 but recently returned to practice and could
play as early as Tuesday against the Lakers.

The Grizzlies’ starting frontcourt has been doing pretty well without him.

Marc Gasol has averaged 18.4 points, 10.2 rebounds and 2.5 blocks during the
five-game winning streak. Marreese Speights, starting in Randolph’s place, has
34 points and 14 boards over the past two games. Rudy Gay is averaging a
team-high 19.1 points and matched a season high with 26 on Wednesday in a 110-92
win over Golden State, also grabbing 12 rebounds for the second time in three
games.

That victory opened a three-game trip for Memphis, which has won three of
its past four road contests while averaging 102.5 points. The Grizzlies failed
to reach 100 in any of their first 14, going 5-9 and scoring 86.7 per game.

“If you want to be a good team, you have to win on the road,” Gasol said.
“You have to come out, execute and be mentally stronger. We’re taking steps
forward, baby steps, it’s a process.”

The Suns (18-21) seem to be going in the right direction, too. They’ve won
six of eight and their only loss in five games this month came at West-leading
Oklahoma City on Wednesday after blowing a 16-point lead in the second half.

Phoenix returned home the following night to knock off defending champion
Dallas 96-94, but remained in 12th place in the West.

“We couldn’t lose both of these and stay in the playoff picture,” said Steve
Nash, who had 11 assists and is averaging a league-best 10.9. “It’s an early
crunch time for us. We’ve got to keep crawling back to that eight-nine-ten spots
and try to give ourselves a chance to sneak in there.”

Jared Dudley has keyed the Suns’ 6-2 surge, scoring 16.6 points per game on
53.5 percent shooting.

Marcin Gortat also continues to play well, averaging 18.7 points and 12.1
rebounds in his last 12. He posted his fourth straight double-double Thursday
and is among the league leaders with 24.

Gasol limited his effectiveness in these teams’ only meeting this season as
Gortat, among the NBA’s best in field-goal accuracy at 55.8 percent, shot 6 for
17. The Suns were held to 36.4 percent but won 86-84 as Dudley capped a 20-point
night by hitting the go-ahead free throws with 3.3 seconds left.

Phoenix is riding a four-game home winning streak, its longest in nearly two
years.

The Memphis Grizzlies picked up where they left off before the All-Star
break by beating the defending NBA champions.

The Grizzlies will try to avoid a letdown when they visit the Toronto
Raptors on Friday night.

Memphis closed the first half of the season with an 89-76 win over Atlantic
Division-leading Philadelphia on Feb. 21, then came back from the All-Star break
and defeated Dallas 96-85 on Wednesday.

Taking advantage of Dirk Nowitzki’s absence for much of the game, Marc Gasol
had 22 points and 11 rebounds while Mike Conley added 20 points and 10 assists
as the Grizzlies (20-15) won for the eighth time in 10 games.

“We all told each other before the break that when we came back, it was a
sprint to the finish line,” Conley said. “Each game is going to be big,
especially starting off against the defending champions. I thought we showed we
were hungry and wanted to get off to a good start.”

After taking advantage of a stretch of nine of 11 at home, Memphis will play
four of five on the road. The Grizzlies have lost six of eight while averaging
90.9 points away from FedEx Forum.

Gasol will try to help Memphis turn things around on the road. He has four
double-doubles in his last five games overall, averaging 16.2 points and 11.8
rebounds.

Gasol may be in line for another big effort with Raptors big man Andrea
Bargnani likely missing his 17th straight game with a calf injury. The Grizzlies
aren’t about to offer up any sympathy to a team without its top scorer.

“This season is so condensed that every game means as much as the last,”
Conley said. “Believe it or not, but the Toronto game is bigger than the Dallas
win. Each game gets bigger and bigger, so we have to take it one game at a
time.”

The Grizzlies have won five straight over the Raptors by an average of 7.2
points. Rudy Gay, who missed the first victory in that stretch, has averaged
21.4 points in his last five games against Toronto.

The Raptors (11-24) have won two of three since a four-game losing streak
and are coming off a 95-84 victory at New Orleans on Wednesday.

After scoring a season-low 11 points in the third quarter, Toronto responded
with 33 in the fourth to rally from a seven-point deficit. Leandro Barbosa
scored 11 of his 15 points in the final period while Linas Kleiza hit three of
his five 3-pointers and finished with a game high-tying 21 points.

“We made shots down the stretch and executed and that’s what I’m most proud
of our guys,” coach Dwane Casey said. “Everyone came in, contributed and did a
good job.”

Kleiza, who missed the final three games heading into the break with a sore
left ankle, has provided a lift off the bench. He averaged 15.7 points in
February, more than double his average prior to that point.

DeMar DeRozan, meanwhile, averaged 22.8 points in his final five games of
the month.

After Bargnani was seemingly working toward a return earlier this week, it’s
unclear if he’ll be back at any point during the Raptors’ four-game homestand.

By the time the locker room was opened to the media, the standings on the wall had already been updated. The 19 Grizzlies wins had been changed to 20. One game down, 31 to go.

“Every day we take a look at the standings,” said Tony Allen. “We want to go as high as we can.”

They do that by taking care of business. They do that by doing exactly what they did at FedExForum Wednesday night.

“We came out ready, we had a plan and we executed,” said Marc Gasol.

The emphatic result: Memphis 96, Dallas 85.

So much for a game to get back in the swing of things, eh? So much for needing some time to knock off the All-Star rust.

“I thought we came out tonight and played extremely well,” said head coach Lionel Hollins.

And yes, it helped that the Mavs played in Dallas the night before.

And it helped that Dirk Nowitzki left the game early with a bad back.

But more than anything else, this night was about the mindset of the Grizzlies. About a group of players that has some serious goals.

They want to win as many games as they can possibly win. They want to set themselves up for a deep playoff run.

Right now, the Grizzlies are seventh in the Western Conference. But they have the same number of wins as the team (the Clippers) that’s in third.

And unlike any of the teams ahead of them, the Grizzlies are on the verge of getting their best player back from serious injury.

So why not aim to host a playoff series? Why not set some lofty goals?

“We want to get as many wins as we can without Zach,” said Allen.

“We’re focused on the prize.”

Before the players went their separate ways for the All-Star break, they talked about the need to come back cranked and ready to go. When Hollins ran them — hard — during the first two practices back from the break, he was thrilled to see that nobody struggled to keep up.

“We told ourselves it would be a sprint to the finish line,” said Mike Conley.

Which is an exhausting metaphor, when you think about it. A 32-game sprint?

But the Grizzlies came out of the blocks just the way they wanted, with a persuasive victory over the defending World Champions.

The key moments came in the third quarter, after the Mavs had taken a 55-49 lead. Hollins went small — sending in Quincy Pondexter for Marreese Speights— and the Grizzlies unleashed an 18-2 run.

They did it with defense, and with crisp execution on the offensive end.

“Our offense versus their zone was outstanding,” said Hollins. “We were able to switch a lot of things that took them out of their rhythm.”

No, it wasn’t a perfect game by the Grizzlies. They were a typically clunky 2 of 12 from beyond the arc. But it’s remarkable, watching what this team has become. They know exactly what they are, and what they have to do to win.

They run. They play defense. They generate their offense through Conley (20 points, 10 assists, four steals and two turnovers) and Gasol (22 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and four blocks).

“We can play better,” said Gasol, which is exactly the sort of thing he’d say. “But we made the adjustments we had to make.”

So now they’re off to Toronto, and the start of an interesting stretch. Seven of their next nine opponents are below .500. And somewhere in there —maybe the March 7 game at Golden State or the March 10 game at Phoenix? —Randolph should be back.

None of which means the Grizzlies are looking ahead. But if they were, they might feel pretty darn good.

“It’s nice to take care of business,” said Hollins.

Just 31 to go.

The Memphis Grizzlies are doing all they can to make a run for the NBA championship this season. With April marking the final month of the NBA season, a strong showing is necessary for ideal NBA Playoff positioning. Look for Rudy Gay, Marc Gasol, and Mike Conley to come up big in their final push.

Check with your service provider for channel listings in your area. With NBA League Pass, Grizzlies’ fans across the nation can catch every game and witness every play.

Note: All start times Central

April 2012

Mon 2, Memphis Grizzlies at Oklahoma City Thunder, 7 p.m. (SSO-MEM)

Tue 3, Golden State Warriors at Memphis Grizzlies, 7 p.m. (SSO-MEM)

Wed 4, Memphis Grizzlies at Dallas Mavericks, 7:30 p.m. (SSO-MEM)

Fri 6, Memphis Grizzlies at Miami Heat, 6:30 p.m. (SSO-MEM)

Sat 7, Dallas Mavericks at Memphis Grizzlies, 7 p.m. (SSO-MEM)

Mon 9, Los Angeles Clippers at Memphis Grizzlies, 7 p.m. (SSO-MEM)

Wed 11, Phoenix Suns at Memphis Grizzlies, 7 p.m. (SSO-MEM)

Thu 12, Memphis Grizzlies at San Antonio Spurs, 7:30 p.m.

Sat 14, Utah Jazz at Memphis Grizzlies, 7 p.m. (SSO-MEM)

Sun 15, Memphis Grizzlies at New Orleans Hornets, 6 p.m. (SSO-MEM, NBATV)

Tue 17, Memphis Grizzlies at Minnesota Timberwolves, 7 p.m. (SSO-MEM)

Wed 18, New Orleans Hornets at Memphis Grizzlies, 7 p.m. (SSO-MEM)

Fri 20, Memphis Grizzlies at Charlotte Bobcats, 6 p.m. (SSO-MEM)

Sat 21, Portland Trail Blazers at Memphis Grizzlies, 7 p.m. (SSO-MEM)

Mon 23, Cleveland Cavaliers at Memphis Grizzlies, 7 p.m. (SSO-MEM, NBATV)

Thu 26, Orlando Magic at Memphis Grizzlies, 7 p.m. (SSO-MEM)

Sources:

All data provided by NBA.com

Paul Rados is a Cleveland based freelance sportswriter and Featured Contributor for the Yahoo! Contributor Network. Follow him on Twitter @PSRados or leave him a message on Facebook. For a complete look at his freelance work please visit his Blog.

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The Memphis Grizzlies saw that Zach Randolph wasn’t there to help them on Wednesday night, so they played harder.

The Minnesota Timberwolves saw that Zach Randolph wasn’t there to beat up on them again, so they took it easy.

Rudy Gay had 19 points and eight rebounds, lifting the Grizzlies to a 90-86 victory over the Timberwolves in their first game since learning Randolph would be out for six to eight weeks.

O.J. Mayo scored 11 of his 14 points in the fourth quarter and Mike Conley had 12 points and eight assists for Memphis, which is 2-1 since their burly leader injured his right knee.

“It’s a great sign,” Conley said. “It’s very promising when you lose a guy like Zach and have guys step up.”

Kevin Love had 27 points and 14 rebounds and Ricky Rubio added 12 points, 10 assists and four rebounds for the Timberwolves, who missed a chance for their first three-game winning streak since February 2010.

Love became the first player since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1975 to record 20 points and 12 rebounds in his team’s first six games.

But it wasn’t enough against the hard-nosed Grizzlies, who scored 23 points off 17 turnovers and held the Wolves to 40 percent shooting to grind out the kind of victory that would make Randolph proud.

“Having the big fella out we definitely have to raise our focus level up a little bit more and execute better offensively,” Mayo said. “Execute better defensively and try to give ourselves a chance to win every night.”

Memphis used a 13-0 run to take a 76-68 lead with 3:37 to go, then held on as the Wolves tried to rally.

Love, Luke Ridnour and Rubio hit 3s, the last from the Spaniard with 16.5 seconds to play to make it 84-83. But Conley and Mayo knocked down free throws to hold them off.

The Timberwolves, who were feeling pretty good about themselves coming off of wins over Dallas and San Antonio, missed 11 free throws and trailed by 18-3 before the game was eight minutes old.

“They were way too lax in their approach,” coach Rick Adelman said. “I told them, ‘You haven’t won anything. Don’t come out there thinking you just won the championship.’”

Tony Allen added 20 points for Memphis.

The Grizzlies found out earlier Wednesday that they will be missing Randolph, their emotional leader and best player, because of a torn MCL in his right knee. It was Randolph who instilled the swagger and toughness in this young team last year, carrying them to within one win of the Western Conference finals.

Memphis traded a second-round pick to Philadelphia and sent guard Xavier Henry to New Orleans as part of a three-team trade that landed them Philly big man Marreese Speights, but most of the onus will be put on Gay and Marc Gasol to fill the void.

Memphis trailed 68-63 with 7:45 to play, but ripped off a 13-0 run to take control. Mayo, who was a Timberwolf for about an hour on draft night in 2008 before being traded for Love, hit a 3-pointer, a three-point play and a free throw in the spurt for a 76-68 lead.

“I think our mindset has been family,” coach Lionel Hollins said. “When we go out there, one for all, all for one, playing together, playing for each other. We’re starting to grow in that area already. We were starting to grow before Zach got hurt and we’re starting to get that chemistry back that we had last year.”

The Timberwolves were sluggish for most of the night, but Rubio energized them at the start of the fourth quarter with a nice flurry. He ended the third with a stutter-step score on a drive, then opened the fourth with a 28-foot lob pass to Derrick Williams.

Rubio added a jumper from just inside the 3-point line and drew a charge on the other end as the Wolves took a 64-61 lead.

“We had the victory,” Rubio said, “and we let it go.”

NOTES: The Timberwolves played without JJ Barea (strained right hamstring) for the third time in four games. Adelman said they wanted to play it cautious and make sure he was full healthy before they brought him back. … Conley made his first start since spraining his ankle three games ago. … Wolves F Anthony Tolliver took a nasty fall under the basket in the fourth but was able to finish it out. … The Grizzlies outscored Minnesota 48-36 in the paint.

Rudy Gay had 19 points and eight rebounds, lifting the Grizzlies to a 90-86 victory over the Timberwolves in their first game since learning Randolph would be out for six to eight weeks.

O.J. Mayo scored 11 of his 14 points in the fourth quarter and Mike Conley had 12 points and eight assists for Memphis, which is 2-1 since their burly leader injured his right knee.

“It’s a great sign,” Conley said. “It’s very promising when you lose a guy like Zach and have guys step up.”

Kevin Love had 27 points and 14 rebounds and Ricky Rubio added 12 points, 10 assists and four rebounds for the Timberwolves, who missed a chance for their first three-game winning streak since February 2010.

Love became the first player since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1975 to record 20 points and 12 rebounds in his team’s first six games.

But it wasn’t enough against the hard-nosed Grizzlies, who scored 23 points off 17 turnovers and held the Wolves to 40 percent shooting to grind out the kind of victory that would make Randolph proud.

“Having the big fella out we definitely have to raise our focus level up a little bit more and execute better offensively,” Mayo said. “Execute better defensively and try to give ourselves a chance to win every night.”

Memphis used a 13-0 run to take a 76-68 lead with 3:37 to go, then held on as the Wolves tried to rally.

Love, Luke Ridnour and Rubio hit 3s, the last from the Spaniard with 16.5 seconds to play to make it 84-83. But Conley and Mayo knocked down free throws to hold them off.

The Timberwolves, who were feeling pretty good about themselves coming off of wins over Dallas and San Antonio, missed 11 free throws and trailed by 18-3 before the game was eight minutes old.

“They were way too lax in their approach,” coach Rick Adelman said. “I told them, ‘You haven’t won anything. Don’t come out there thinking you just won the championship.’”

Tony Allen added 20 points for Memphis.

The Grizzlies found out earlier Wednesday that they will be missing Randolph, their emotional leader and best player, because of a torn MCL in his right knee. It was Randolph who instilled the swagger and toughness in this young team last year, carrying them to within one win of the Western Conference finals.

Memphis traded a second-round pick to Philadelphia and sent guard Xavier Henry to New Orleans as part of a three-team trade that landed them Philly big man Marreese Speights, but most of the onus will be put on Gay and Marc Gasol to fill the void.

Memphis trailed 68-63 with 7:45 to play, but ripped off a 13-0 run to take control. Mayo, who was a Timberwolf for about an hour on draft night in 2008 before being traded for Love, hit a 3-pointer, a three-point play and a free throw in the spurt for a 76-68 lead.

“I think our mindset has been family,” coach Lionel Hollins said. “When we go out there, one for all, all for one, playing together, playing for each other. We’re starting to grow in that area already. We were starting to grow before Zach got hurt and we’re starting to get that chemistry back that we had last year.”

The Timberwolves were sluggish for most of the night, but Rubio energized them at the start of the fourth quarter with a nice flurry. He ended the third with a stutter-step score on a drive, then opened the fourth with a 28-foot lob pass to Derrick Williams.

Rubio added a jumper from just inside the 3-point line and drew a charge on the other end as the Wolves took a 64-61 lead.

“We had the victory,” Rubio said, “and we let it go.”

NOTES: The Timberwolves played without JJ Barea (strained right hamstring) for the third time in four games. Adelman said they wanted to play it cautious and make sure he was full healthy before they brought him back. … Conley made his first start since spraining his ankle three games ago. … Wolves F Anthony Tolliver took a nasty fall under the basket in the fourth but was able to finish it out. … The Grizzlies outscored Minnesota 48-36 in the paint.

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