Suns (30-27) at Grizzlies (33-23)

C: Marcin Gortat … Marc Gasol

PF: Channing Frye … Marreese Speights

SF: Jared Dudley … Rudy Gay

SG: Shannon Brown … Quincy Pondexter

PG: Steve Nash … Mike Conley

Key Grizzlies injuries: Tony Allen (facial cut) has missed the past three games. He is questionable for tonight.

Key Grizzlies reserves: Zach Randolph, Gilbert Arenas, O.J. Mayo, Dante Cunningham.

Onto today’s Orange Slices…

* The Suns are not getting any help lately and they are about to enter the toughest remaining stretch of their season – games at Memphis, Houston and San Antonio over four days.

The Suns have a stern test in facing the Grizzlies in Memphis tonight while Denver (home against Minnesota) and Houston (home against Utah) both have more winnable games. Dallas is idle. The Suns are a game behind Denver, 1 1/2 behind Dallas, two behind Houston and a half-game ahead of Utah.

This is a game Memphis also needs because it trails the Clippers by a half-game for fourth place, which is the final home-court advantage spot in the playoffs.

The Grizzlies have won six of their past seven games, including a win at Oklahoma City and a win at Miami that started its current three-game win streak. At home, they have won 11 of their past 13 games with the two losses coming in overtime games.

But here is the reminder again that the Suns are playing just as well as anyone in the league. They have won five of their past six games and are a three-minute scoreless stretch in Denver from a six-game winning streak. They are 18-8 since Feb. 19 and only the league’s top three teams – Chicago, San Antonio and Oklahoma City – can top that mark.

“We have the confidence that we can play with anyone,” Suns guard Michael Redd said. “These last two weeks have been a switch. Since All-Star has been a switch.”

But the run of late has felt like another level, Redd said. The Suns have averaged 110.8 points per game over the past five games to move to 11th in the league in scoring. They face a Grizzlies defense that has only allowed 90.2 points per game in its past nine games.

“We’re a totally different team than before,” Suns swingman Jared Dudley said. “We have six or seven guys who can score in double figures. Defensively, we’re better. Early on, we were barely scoring. We’re pushing the ball now. Now we’re hitting 3s. “

The Suns lead the season series 2-0 but both games were in Phoenix and Zach Randolph did not play in either. Memphis has gone 8-2 since moving Randolph to a bench role once they had lost three consecutive games in his brief return to the starting lineup. The Suns have lost four of their past five trips to Memphis.

* The Suns can move to four games over .500 with a win tonight for the first time this season. They were never more than four games over .500 in all of last season. The Suns’ 30-27 record is the same record they had after 57 games last season. But they had more games remaining to unravel last year.

* The Suns have been without Grant Hill, who was averaging 10.7 points per game. In his absence over the 5-3 stretch, Shannon Brown (8.4) and Michael Redd (5.4) have averaged 13.8 more points per game than they had been previously.

“Hopefully, it never, ever, ever, ever ends for the rest of my career,” Brown said.

He will start tonight but it might be his final one. Hill is cleared to return to action Friday night and might start. Gentry is pondering how to handle Hill’s return.

* Memphis’ strengths are on defense and the boards. The Grizzlies have the league’s No. 6 scoring defense and lead the NBA in steals with 9.7 per game. Mike Conley is second only to Chris Paul with 2.35 per game. Tony Allen (1.7) and Rudy Gay (1.5) also rank in the top 20.

Opponents commit 17.1 turnovers per game against Memphis for the league’s second highest total and the Suns don’t want to see Conley and Rudy Gay in the open court off live-ball turnovers.

Memphis has the fifth-best rebounding percentage and does particularly good work on the offensive boards. Marc Gasol ranks 16th in the NBA at 9.5 per game but Gay and Marreese Speights are good rebounders at the forward spots and Randolph’s return bolster that area even more. Randolph has posted three consecutive double-doubles off the bench.

Memphis has experienced its own series turnaround. The Griz had a losing record until Feb. 7, when a 21-10 stretched began.

* Phoenix Phactoid Pharaoh’s Phun Phact o’ the Day: With Saturday’s and Mondays’ wins, the Suns won games by at least 20 points consecutively for the first time since Alvin Gentry’s first three games as the Suns’ head coach in February 2009.

* The assist crown is going to come down to the final games. Nash and Boston’s Rajon Rondo both are averaging 11.2 per game. Rondo has posted 17 consecutive double-digit assist games.

Post your comments on the game below:

MEMPHIS (USA TODAY) — Getting All-Star Zach Randolph to accept his new role upon his return from a knee injury — coming off the bench — wasn’t exactly easy for Memphis Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins.

But it’s working.

The Grizzlies are 9-3 with Randolph as a reserve, 1-6 with him starting. They haven’t lost consecutive games with Randolph coming off the bench.

“I’m doing what’s best for the team. I’m getting back to myself,” Randolph said. “I’m a team player so it is what it is.”

Randolph, injured Jan. 1, returned March 16 and found the Grizzlies’ offense had changed successfully without him.

Mo Speights, acquired in a trade soon after Randolph’s injury, was effective filling in at power forward. Hollins began using more pick-and-rolls with point guard Mike Conley. Rudy Gay, the team’s leading scorer at 18.4 points per game, has more space to attack the basket.

Hollins prefers to keep Randolph with the second unit’s O.J. Mayo and Gilbert Arenas.

“I just told him in front of the team, ‘Zach, it’s not anything you’ve done wrong or bad. I think that for us to be effective this is where we need to go,’” Hollins said.

“Mo Speights’ contributions had dropped off. We weren’t getting the same starch that we’d been getting. It was a difficult decision. … I think they take it personal at the moment because that’s the way players are. They get hurt. Their egos get bruised a little bit. Ultimately, they see this was the best move.”

With Randolph as a starter, the Grizzlies averaged just 91.7 points per game, including 31.3 from the bench.

With him as a reserve, including Monday night’s 94-85 victory against the Los Angeles Clippers, the Grizzlies average 96.0 points and the bench contributes 36.4.

“I’m close. I’m getting there. I’m not there yet,” Randolph said of being 100% back to form.

“Hopefully, when I get back to myself, (Hollins) puts me in the lineup.”

Copyright 2012 USA TODAY

LOS ANGELES – The Grizzlies took a detour on their trip out west by going back down a road well traveled this season.

Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins turned to the starting lineup he’s used the most, re-inserting Marreese Speights in place of returning power forward Zach Randolph.

The move helped the otherwise lost Grizzlies head back in the right direction with a 102-96 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night in the Staples Center.

Memphis ended a three-game skid and avoided being swept on its four-game road trip. With a willing Randolph playing off the bench, the Griz displayed a renewed spirit and played arguably their most cohesive basketball on both ends of the court in a week.

“Our starters came out and played with a lot of heart and passion,” Hollins said.

The Griz hadn’t looked this sharp or scrappy since a March 13 double-overtime loss at home to the Lakers. They were without Rudy Gay and Zach Randolph for that game. This time, Gay’s scoring led the Grizzlies’ early charge and Randolph was a force late.

Randolph made 4 of 5 shots and grabbed five of his 12 rebounds in the fourth quarter. The veteran forward didn’t seem to mind coming off the bench, citing a need to work on his conditioning.

“Plus, I’m going to do whatever is best for the team,” Randolph said.

The move was also designed to inspire Speights, who had struggled as a reserve.

“I just feel like we had our stars get off,” Griz point guard Mike Conley said. “Defensively, we were engaged.”

The teams entered the game going in opposite directions. Memphis lost five of its past six games. Los Angeles won seven of nine.

But it was the Lakers who looked out of sorts most of the night.

Credit the Grizzlies’ focus and energy from the start.

The Grizzlies’ first quarter against the Lakers was decidedly better than what they experienced early Saturday in a lopsided loss to the Clippers. Memphis led 28-24 after it ended the opening period on a 10-2 run thanks to 3-pointers from Tony Allen and Rudy Gay.

Gay had 13 points by halftime when the Griz held a 56-46 advantage.

“I had a talk with Coach (Hollins) and he just told me to be aggressive,” Gay said.

The Grizzlies’ active defense kept the Lakers misfiring from the perimeter and made it difficult to score in the paint. Memphis picked up nine steals and blocked seven shots.

“It’s a step out of the mud,” Griz guard O.J. Mayo said. “It’s time to get rolling.”

Turning point: The Grizzlies’ advantage had swelled to 14 when the Lakers charged back in the third quarter. A Ramon Sessions 3-pointer capped a 15-0 run that gave the Lakers a 66-65 lead. Hollins immediately called for time.

The break in action stopped the Lakers momentum and the Griz regrouped by scoring eight unanswered points. Memphis led 73-70 heading into the fourth quarter. The Griz eventually took a 93-79 advantage behind a 28-13 surge after they lost the lead in the third period.

Hot topic: Lakers guard Kobe Bryant finished with 18 points. He started slowly and then curiously wasn’t on the floor for nearly four minutes in the fourth quarter when the Lakers were trying to make a comeback. Bryant didn’t appear to agree with the move.

“If you guys are looking for a story, I’m not going to give it to you,” Bryant said. “I can’t sit here and criticize (coach Mike Brown’s) decisions. As the leader of this ball club, that’s something I can’t afford to do. I’ve had his back the whole season; I can’t start doing something crazy now. It wouldn’t make no sense.”

Spotlight: Matt Barnes picked up a technical foul when he threw the ball at Marc Gasol during a stoppage in play in the third quarter. Mayo said he went to Gay and asked him for the chance to shoot the free throw. Mayo sank the foul shot and then got hot in the fourth quarter.

He had a 7-0 run as the Griz pulled away. Mayo was aggressive attacking the basket and scored on a variety of moves, including a reverse layup.

“Once I saw one go in the basket, it was a good feeling to let loose a little bit,” Mayo said after amassing 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting. Mayo’s 12-point fourth quarter made it difficult for the Lakers to mount a comeback.

That’s what he said: “We were pretty fed up with the way we’ve been playing the last 10 games. We haven’t been playing our best basketball and we feel like we’re a much better team than we have been putting out there.” – Mayo, talking about the Grizzlies attitude in this game.

The other guys: Andrew Bynum scored 30 points but he didn’t score off a lot of easy lobs, and was held in check on the boards. Bynum had just four rebounds. Pau Gasol picked up the slack with 14 rebounds. The Lakers also got 18 points from Sessions but didn’t look as organized offensively as they have over the past two weeks. Los Angeles missed its first seven shots, which helped the Grizzlies’ fast start.

R&R (roster and rotation): Backup center Hamed Haddadi flat-out gave the Grizzlies some punch. Haddadi’s 13 minutes were filled with defensive energy and aggressiveness on the boards. He blocked three shots and grabbed six rebounds to go with 10 points. Haddadi should have also been credited with a steal. There was a sequence in the second half when he stripped the ball from Bynum after a repost, and the steal led to an easy layup for Mayo in transition.

“People don’t realize how good Hamed is and how good he could be,” Gay said. “He’s on this team for a reason.”

This was the first time guard Gilbert Arenas didn’t play since he joined the club last week.

Records: The Grizzlies are 26-21 and sit in sixth place in the Western Conference playoff standings. They are a half game out of fourth and one game ahead of the eighth seed. The Lakers (30-19) sit in third place with their division rival, the Clippers, 2 1/2 games behind them.

Got next: Timberwolves at Grizzlies, Tuesday, 7 p.m. Minnesota won’t be an easy out given forward Kevin Love’s stellar play.

– Ronald Tillery: (901) 529-2353

COMMENTARY | Last season, the No. 8 seeded Memphis Grizzlies defeated the top team in the Western Conference, the San Antonio Spurs, without star forward Rudy Gay.

Just when the team thought they were going to have their full lineup for the 2011-12 season, power forward Zach Randolph injured his knee four games into this year’s campaign. Without Randolph, the Grizzlies posted a 24-17 record and are in fifth place in the Western Conference.

Although Memphis has played well as of late, Randolph’s return is finally going to show the basketball world what the team can really do when all the parts are in working order.

Randolph came back to the Grizzlies Friday in a 114-110 overtime loss to the Toronto Raptors. In only his fifth game of the season, he scored 25 points off of 64% shooting from the field and grabbed nine rebounds (six were offensive boards). Sunday, he scored 13 points and pulled down nine rebounds in a 97-92 win against the Washington Wizards.

With the eleventh year player back in the lineup, the Grizzlies have arguably the second best center and power forward combination in the league with Randolph and Marc Gasol. The only big man duo I would classify as better than Randolph and Gasol is the Los Angeles Lakers’ duo of Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum.

Package the second best front court with Gay’s 19 points and 7 rebounds per game and we have arguably the best front court in the league. If I had to list the league’s best threesome from the small forward to center positions, Memphis wins by a far margin.

Bynum and Pau Gasol are great, but Ron Artest isn’t enough to best the Grizzlies.

The Indiana Pacers have Roy Hibbert, David West and Danny Granger, but I like all three of Memphis’ players better than their Indiana counterpart. I feel the same way about Memphis when compared to Chicago’s Joakim Noah, Carlos Boozer and Luol Deng, even though they’re closer than the Pacers.

The Bulls’ front court plays better defense but Gay, Randolph and Marc Gasol are far better scorers and influence the game more than the Chicago players. Deng is considered a “glue guy” as Gay is considered “the guy”. Noah is a “hustle man” while Marc Gasol is “a complete center”. Bulls’ fans want Boozer out and Grizzlies’ fans couldn’t wait for Z-Bo to return.

With the Grizzlies full lineup at full throttle, I think they could beat any team in the Western Conference in a seven game series. Randolph came back and didn’t miss a step as he put up 25 points in his first game back to go along with Gasol’s 28 points and Gay’s 26. These guys haven’t even had time to fully gel and scored 79 points. Imagine what they could do after a month of playing together.

I wouldn’t be surprised at all if Memphis climbs the Western Conference standings and is the second seed heading into the playoffs.They’re only a half game behind the Los Angeles Clippers for the four seed, two behind the Lakers for third and four from the Spurs for second.

The Grizzlies are probably not going to catch the Oklahoma City Thunder, since they’re playing out of their mind, but Memphis could take the second or third spot and play an easier competitor in the first round.

Randolph’s return is the missing piece in the Western Conference playoff race. Now, finally, the Memphis Grizzlies have all of their legs underneath them and can prove they are no longer the underdog.

Brandon LaChance has been a diehard NBA follower since 1994 and began blogging about the league in 2007. Besides contributing to the Yahoo! Contributor Network, he writes and podcasts for Oncourt Onslaught while covering local sports for a rural Illinois newspaper.

The Memphis Grizzlies are a stronger team when Zach Randolph is healthy, but they’re still trying to find a rotation that works since the All-Star forward returned from injury.

That may not be a concern against the Sacramento Kings, who have had little success in slowing down the Grizzlies of late.

Memphis opens a road-heavy portion of its schedule Tuesday night when it goes for a fifth consecutive victory in this series and a season sweep.

After going 23-14 with Randolph sidelined with a torn MCL, the Grizzlies (25-18) have split two games since he’s returned. Marreese Speights has remained in the starting lineup, though Randolph has been playing more than 24 minutes per game compared to over 12 for Speights.

Randolph scored 13 points and grabbed nine rebounds in a 97-92 victory over Washington on Sunday as the Grizzlies salvaged the finale of a three-game homestand. They won despite shooting 40.0 percent from the field and allowing the Wizards to make 47.4 percent.

“It’s been a little bit of a challenge,” point guard Mike Conley said of having Randolph back. “… I think everybody is just learning their roles, and some roles have been adjusted.”

While another adjustment could be on the way if free-agent guard Gilbert Arenas decides to join them, the Grizzlies seem unlikely to change anything about their approach against Kings as they begin a stretch of four straight and nine of 11 on the road.

Memphis has won both matchups this season by a combined 50 points while shooting 54.6 percent, including 41.7 from 3-point range. Rudy Gay has scored 23.0 points per game in the series to lead four Grizzlies averaging at least 17.0 against Sacramento in 2011-12.

The Grizzlies have outscored the Kings by 20.7 points during their four consecutive wins in the series.

Memphis’ lone loss in its last eight versus the Kings came in its last visit to the California state capital Dec. 29, 2010. Leading by one with 1.5 seconds left following an off-balance jumper by O.J. Mayo, the Grizzlies fell 100-98 on Tyreke Evans’ buzzer-beating 3-pointer from beyond midcourt.

Evans, though, has been relatively ineffective against the Grizzlies this season with 22 total points. He’s questionable for Tuesday after missing the last two games with a sprained left ankle.

The absence of the former Rookie of the Year hardly hurt his team in those contests, as Sacramento routed Boston 120-95 on Friday and defeated Minnesota 115-99 on Sunday.

The Kings (16-29), 14th in the Western Conference, can match a season-high three-game win streak set Feb. 2-6. Sacramento has shot 48.3 percent from the floor during its current 4-3 stretch.

“We’re having fun right now, playing the game the right way,” said rookie point guard Isaiah Thomas, averaging 14.8 points and 4.8 assists in 16 games since being inserted into the starting lineup. “It’s always nice when guys are knocking down shots.”

Marcus Thornton has averaged 30.0 points in the last two games, while Jason Thompson has made 14 of 17 shots and scored 34 points with a team-best 25 rebounds in those contests.

The Grizzlies took the most recent matchup 128-95 at home Jan. 21. DeMarcus Cousins had 19 points and 11 boards for Sacramento, but his team allowed Memphis to shoot 54.3 percent from the field and go 8 for 16 from beyond the arc.

Sacramento rookie guard Jimmer Fredette has gone 7 of 12 from beyond the arc and scored a team-best 37 points against the Grizzlies.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) It took an extra period for the Toronto Raptors to finally end their losing skid against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Jerryd Bayless scored five of his 28 points in overtime and added nine assists to help the Toronto beat the Grizzlies 114-110 on Friday night. Bayless split a pair of free throws with 15.7 left in overtime for a 111-109 lead, and it was enough to end a six-game losing streak to Memphis.

”We just played well,” Bayless said. ”We got some stops. There were some times in the fourth quarter where we did some stupid things, but we were able to grind it out and win the game.”

Gary Forbes, who came in averaging 3.8 points, finished with a career-high 20 for Toronto, while Andrea Bargnani and DeMar DeRozan added 18 apiece.

Forbes was a key factor in both halves, and his three points to open the Toronto scoring in overtime kept the Raptors close in the extra period.

”I’ve always just had a knack for scoring in a variety of different ways,” said Forbes, a second-year forward out of Massachusetts. ”My teammates were getting me open off screens and giving me that confidence to shoot the ball, attack the basket and get to the line.”

Marc Gasol led the Grizzlies with a season-high 28 points, and Rudy Gay added 26 points and 11 rebounds before fouling out early in overtime.

Zach Randolph returned after missing 2 1/2 months with a knee injury and finished with 25 points and nine rebounds. O.J. Mayo had 10 points for Memphis, but was 3 of 10 from the field.

”I felt pretty good once I got into the groove,” Randolph said. ”My timing is a little off. I felt rusty on both ends. I just have to get getter and keep improving.”

Gay, who hit game-winning shots the last two times the teams played, dropped in a 3-pointer from the top of the key with less than a second left in regulation to tie it at 103. Toronto had one more chance, but Bargnani’s heave from near midcourt was off the mark, sending the game into the extra period.

”I remember last year he hit the game-winner on us,” DeRozan said. ”He had a tough shot last time we played them earlier this year. When he hit it this time, it was like deja vu all over again. We just tried to hold our poise and go out there and try to finish them.”

After Bayless hit the first free throw with 15.7 seconds left in OT, Toronto was called for a lane violation on the second, giving the Grizzlies a chance to tie or take the lead.

But Memphis never got a shot as Conley was called for palming, and the Raptors made three of four free throws in the final 9.4 seconds to hold on.

Memphis had opportunities to take over in overtime, but mistakes were plentiful. Mayo missed a dunk, Tony Allen grabbed a rebound but it went out of bounds, and Mayo got called for an offensive foul on the break before Conley’s turnover.

”They gave us opportunities to win the game. We kept shooting ourselves in the foot,” Memphis coach Lionel Hollins said, later adding: ”We had opportunities to win the game. That is what a poised, good team would do. They would get kicked in the face by a team that is not as good as you, and then come out and win the game anyway.”

The Grizzlies also had trouble at the free throw line, converting 31 of 51. Toronto was 29 of 38 from the line.

There were 17 lead changes and nine ties in the game.

The Raptors carried a 47-46 lead into halftime as DeRozan had 12 points and Bayless scored 11. Forbes added 10 for Toronto.

Gasol led Memphis with 15 points on 7-of-9 shooting from the field. Gay scored 14.

The Raptors stretched the lead in the second half by connecting on six of their first 10 attempts from outside the arc. Toronto opened the second half on a 15-4 run for a 12-point cushion. Bargnani had nine points during the early part of the third quarter.

Randolph had 12 points in the third, but Toronto still maintained a 72-68 advantage heading into the fourth.

The Raptors maintained a six- to eight-point lead in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, and Forbes’ jumper gave Toronto an 84-73 lead with 8:10 left in regulation.

Memphis chipped away and got within three points in the final minute before Gay’s tying 3-pointer.

Bayless said it was a matter of the Raptors understanding that, unlike the previous two shots by Gay, this one only sent the game to overtime and did not send them to defeat.

”Honestly, it was that if we’ve got 5 more minutes, we’ve got to go,” Bayless said of his thoughts at the time. ”I was trying to tell the guys: ‘Whatever. He hit it. Let’s forget about it, and let’s get ready for overtime.”

NOTES: Memphis was 23-14 while Randolph was sidelined. When he entered the game with 2:41 left in first period, Randolph got an extended standing ovation from the Memphis fans. … The Raptors played their first game without Leandro Barbosa, the team’s third-leading scorer at 12.2 points a game who was traded to Indiana before Thursday’s trade deadline. … Gay returned to the lineup after missing one game with concussion symptoms that resulted from a blow to the head last Sunday against Denver. … All of the Grizzlies’ starters acknowledged Raptors assistant coach Johnny Davis, who was a Memphis assistant until last season when he left to join Dwayne Casey’s staff in Toronto. … The Grizzlies are now 12-2 when scoring 100 points, and Memphis’ record dropped to 12-3 against sub-.500 teams. The previous two losses were to the Phoenix Suns.

MEMPHIS, TENN. — Jerryd Bayless scored five of his 28 points in overtime and added nine assists to help the Toronto Raptors beat the Memphis Grizzlies 114-110 on Friday night.

Bayless split a pair of free throws with 15.7 left in overtime for a 111-109 lead, and it was enough to snap a six-game losing streak to Memphis.

Gary Forbes, who came in averaging 3.8 points, finished with a career-high 20 for Toronto, while Andrea Bargnani and DeMar DeRozan added 18 apiece.

Marc Gasol led the Grizzlies with a season-high 28 points, and Rudy Gay added 26 points and 11 rebounds before fouling out early in overtime.

Zach Randolph returned after missing 2 ½ months with a knee injury and finished with 25 points and nine rebounds. O.J. Mayo had 10 points for Memphis, but was 3 of 10 from the field.

Gay hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key with half a second left in regulation to tie it at 103. Toronto had one more chance, but Bargnani’s heave from near midcourt was off the mark, sending the game into the extra period.

After Bayless hit the first free throw with 15.7 seconds left in OT, Toronto was called for a lane violation on the second, giving the Grizzlies a chance to take the lead.

But Memphis never got a shot as Conley was called for palming, and the Raptors made three of four free throws in the final 9.4 seconds to hold on.

Memphis had opportunities to take over in overtime, but mistakes were plentiful. Mayo missed a dunk, Tony Allen grabbed a rebound, but it went out of bounds, and Mayo got called for an offensive foul on the break before Conley’s turnover.

The Grizzlies also had trouble at the free throw line, converting 31 of 51. Toronto was 29 of 38 from the line.

There were 17 lead changes and nine ties in the game.

The Raptors carried a 47-46 lead into halftime as DeRozan had 12 points and Bayless scored 11. Forbes added 10 for Toronto.

Gasol led Memphis with 15 points on 7-of-9 shooting from the field. Gay scored 14.

The game was close throughout the first half, neither team leading by more than six. There were 11 lead changes and seven ties in the first half.

The Raptors stretched the lead in the second half by connecting on six of their first 10 attempts from outside the arc. Toronto opened the second half on a 15-4 run for a 12-point cushion. Bargnani had nine points during the early part of the third quarter.

Randolph had 12 points in the third, but Toronto still maintained a 72-68 advantage heading into the fourth.

The Raptors maintained a six- to eight-point lead in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter, and Forbes’ jumper gave Toronto an 84-73 lead with 8:10 left in regulation.

Memphis chipped away and got within three points in the final minute before Gay’s tying 3-pointer.

NOTES: Memphis was 23-14 while Randolph was sidelined. When he entered the game with 2:41 left in first period, Randolph got an extended standing ovation from the Memphis fans. … The Raptors played their first game without Leandro Barbosa, the team’s third-leading scorer at 12.2 points a game who was traded to Indiana before Thursday’s trade deadline. … Gay returned to the lineup after missing one game with concussion symptoms that resulted from a blow to the head last Sunday against Denver. … All of the Grizzlies’ starters acknowledged Raptors assistant coach Johnny Davis, who was a Memphis assistant until last season when he left to join Dwayne Casey’s staff in Toronto. … The Grizzlies are now 12-2 when scoring 100 points, and Memphis’ record dropped to 12-3 against sub-. 500 teams. The previous two losses were to the Phoenix Suns.

Toronto’s No. 1 public enemy almost nailed the Raptors again.

For the third straight time against their former Canadian foes, the Grizzlies got an improbable shot from Rudy Gay that looked like it would steal an impossible victory.

Gay’s 25-foot 3-pointer with 0.9 seconds left in regulation sent Friday’s game into overtime. But Gay, who hit game-winning jumpers in the last two victories over Toronto, fouled out in the first 16 seconds of the extra period.

The Raptors used that as a positive sign to snap a six-game losing streak against the Grizzlies with a 114-110 victory before an emotionally spent FedEx Forum crowd of 17,239.

In a game in which it seemed the officiating crew reviewed every key play in the final minutes of regulation and overtime, the Grizzlies (24-18) had more than their share of chances to beat a team with the NBA’s third-worst record.

But even with a stunning 25-point, nine-rebound performance from forward Zach Randolph in his first game back since tearing knee ligaments on Jan. 1, the Grizzlies couldn’t pull off the miracle.

“No disrespect to Toronto, but we shouldn’t lose to a team like that,” Grizzlies’ guard Tony Allen said. “We had plenty of chances.”

The Griz did almost everything possible to lose. They missed 20 free throws. They gave up 66 points to Toronto’s top three guards. They missed dunks. They slapped rebounds out of their own hands that sailed out of bounds.

Yet they had one last chance with 4.8 seconds left. Mike Conley was fouled shooting a 3-pointer with the Griz trailing 112-109. He made his first free throw, the second rolled off the front rim, and he intentionally missed his third, which was bobbled out of bounds and awarded to Toronto (15-29).

“We played sloppy; we didn’t make the little plays that win games,” said Conley, who had 10 assists but scored just eight points on 1-of-7 shooting. “We missed free throws, we didn’t get the 50-50 loose balls. That’s Grizzly basketball and we’ve got to stick to it. They (the Raptors) still almost gave it to us. We had a lot of missed opportunities.”

Five Raptors scored in double figures, but four of them were starters, led by guards Jerryd Bayless and DeMar DeRozan, who scored 28 and 18 points, respectively. Then, Gary Forbes came off the bench and scored a career-high 20.

“I think we know we can play with any team in the league,” DeRozan said. “We stepped up to the challenge tonight.”

The majority of the Grizzlies’ offense came from three players. Center Marc Gasol scored 28 points, Gay added 26 and Randolph was just a point behind Gay despite making just 7 of 14 free throws.

“We had a lot of opportunities to win the game, but we kept shooting ourselves in the foot,” Griz coach Lionel Hollins said.

Turning point

The Grizzlies were euphoric when Gay drained two 3-pointers in the final 7.4 of regulation, including the 25-footer with 0.9 seconds left to send the game to overtime.

But 16 seconds into overtime, Gay fouled out, leaving the Grizzlies without their best one-on-one, stop-and-pop shooter.

“I feel responsible for that loss, because I fouled out,” said Gay, who scored 26 points and grabbed 11 rebounds.

Gay had game-winners in the last two games against Toronto, so the Raptors were relieved to see him go to the bench.

“It was hard how we lost last time when Rudy hit that shot,” DeRozan said. “It was like déjà vu (when Gay hit his 25-footer to send Friday’s game to overtime). We didn’t want to lose again that way, so we kept fighting. The basketball Gods were on our side tonight.”

Hot topic

Maybe it should be the cold topic, because the Grizzlies missed 20 free throws, making 31 of 51. After losing to the Lakers this week in double overtime and only shooting five free throws the entire game (and two were technicals), Memphis marched all night to the line and couldn’t get it done.

“We miss five of six free throws in a crucial set (late in the game), we get three free throws to tie the game (in overtime) and we can’t make three,” Griz coach Lionel Hollins lamented.

Spotlight

Griz forward Zach Randolph, playing his first game since tearing a medial collateral knee ligament on Jan. 1 against the Bulls, might have surprised even himself by scoring 25 points and collecting nine rebounds in 24:35 off the bench.

The only downer was Randolph’s 7-for-14 shooting at the line, but for a guy who hadn’t played in 2 months, he was unbelievably good, still getting impossible offensive rebounds and still floating in the soft left-handed fadeaway from outside.

“I felt good out there,” Randolph said. “My wind felt good. I got a little tired, but I pushed through it. It’s progress. I’m trying to get back to my old self. I really wasn’t surprised. I just got into the groove of playing basketball. My knee wasn’t in pain.”

That’s what he said

“With Zach (Randolph) back and the way Marc (Gasol) is playing, we’re an inside-out basketball team again.” — Griz point guard Mike Conley.

Health status

For the first time since the first minute of this season’s home opener against Oklahoma City, the Grizzlies played with their full complement of starters on Friday night.

Mike Conley sprained his ankle one minute into the opener and Randolph tore his MCL two games later at Chicago.

Rudy Gay was able to return on Friday from a mild concussion that forced him to sit out Tuesday’s game against the Lakers.

Miscellany

Memphis lost for the second time this week at home in overtime and for the second time when scoring 100 or more points. … Gasol’s 28 points were a season-high and Gay tied his season-high with 26. He added 11 rebounds for his sixth double-double of the year. … Toronto’s Jerryd Bayless’ 28 points were two shy of his season high. … Memphis is 12-3 this year against sub-.500 teams; the other two losses came against Phoenix.

Records

The Grizzlies fell to 24-18, still second in the Southwest Division behind San Antonio and fourth in the Western Conference.

The Raptors improved to 15-29, last in the Atlantic Division and third-worst team in the Eastern Division.

Numbers game

1-4: The Grizzlies’ record this season with Zach Randolph

6: Winning streak by Griz over Raptors that was snapped

51: Griz free throws, tying a franchise record

Got next

The Grizzlies meet the Washington Wizards for the first and only time this season in a Sunday afternoon 5 p.m. tip at FedExForum.

Last year, the Griz and Wizards split, with each team winning at home.

After Sunday, the Grizzlies have a four-game, six-day West Coast road swing starting Tuesday at Sacramento.

Watch out — the Memphis Grizzlies are back.

The Grizzlies that knocked off the Spurs in the playoffs and put a scare in the Thunder are back. Why?

Because Friday night Zach Randolph is back in the lineup.

He will play against the Raptors on Friday, something expected after a reportedly good practice Thursday with the team. Randolph will play but expect him to be eased back into his regular minutes following a slightly torn MCL in his knee that has kept him out for a couple months.

That injury happened after he played just four games this season, but the Grizzlies have held their own without him — at 24-17 they would be the four seed if the playoffs started today. Still, come the playoffs, the Grizzlies need the scoring in the block that Randolph provides. He gives the Grizzlies as good a front line as there is in the game (and nobody wants to face them in the first round of the playoffs because of that).

It’s good for us fans to have him back. Even if the other Western Conference coaches aren’t thrilled.