Grizzlies 105, Timberwolves 103
Grizzlies 105, Timberwolves 101: Marc Gasol scored a career-high 32 points and Zach Randolph added 25 and 13 rebounds as host Memphis snapped a long losing streak in season openers.
Gasol shot 12-of-17 and added nine rebounds for the Grizzlies, who snapped a 13-game losing streak in season openers. Mike Conley had 16 points and six assists as Memphis improved to 17-3 over Minnesota since the 2009-10 season.
Thaddeus Young scored 26 points for the Timberwolves, who got six points and three rebounds in 19 minutes from 2014 No.1 overall pick Andrew Wiggins. Mo Williams scored 18 off the bench in Flip Saunders' return to the bench after coaching the club from 1995-2005.
Minnesota trailed by as many as 10 points but rallied for a two-point lead with three minutes left. Conley tied the game at 96 with a runner down the lane, Randolph added a follow and Gasol an open jumper after Conley's free throw for a 101-96 lead.
Williams countered with a 3-pointer that used the entire rim before Gasol knocked down a pair of free throws with 42 ticks left. Young made two free throws before Vince Carter got fouled on an off-balance jumper as the shot-clock was expiring and made two free throws to provide the final margin.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Saunders, who is also President of Basketball Operations, was 411-326 in his first tenure as coach, leading the T-Wolves to the playoffs eight times. … Gasol and Randolph each had 16 points and six rebounds in the first half on a combined 14-of-19 shooting. … Minnesota's reserves outscored Memphis' bench 46-10.