Raptors get past short-handed Grizzlies
TORONTO -- Kyle Lowry scored 29 points and handed out eight assists, DeMar DeRozan added 24 points and nine rebounds, and the Toronto Raptors held off the undermanned Memphis Grizzlies 120-105 Wednesday night.
The Raptors, who extended their winning streak to four games, took a seven-point lead into the fourth quarter, but the Grizzlies cut the margin to one.
A 3-pointer by Cory Joseph, who finished with 16 points off the Toronto bench, got the lead back to seven with 7:06 to play on a 3-pointer. A layup by DeRozan increased the margin to nine with 4:48 left.
DeMarre Carroll, who scored 17 on the game, nailed a 3-pointer with 4:10 to play, and the Raptors led 107-95.
Patrick Patterson added 14 for the Raptors (12-6).
The Grizzlies, who were missing several players mostly because of injuries, got a team-high 21 points from Andrew Harrison. Marc Gasol contributed 18 points and eight rebounds. Troy Daniels added 19 points off the bench, JaMychal Green chipped in with 16, Tony Allen had 12 and Troy Williams 10 for Memphis, which lost its second in a row.
Gasol scored 11 points in the first quarter to give Memphis a 28-25 lead.
The Grizzlies (11-8) scored the first five points of the second quarter, including a 3-pointer by Harrison.
The Raptors took a 36-35 lead on a 3-pointer by Patterson. Gasol hit a 3-pointer with 5:53 left in the half, and Memphis led by four points.
The Grizzlies, who were on top by as many as eight points during the half, took a 57-55 lead into the intermission.
Gasol and Lowry led their respective teams with 14 points each at the half.
The Raptors took a 60-59 lead early in the third quarter on Lowry's 3-pointer, and DeRozan bumped the advantage to three points with a 19-foot jumper.
Harrison scored the next five on a 3-point shot and a layup to put Memphis back in front by two points.
Patterson gave Toronto a five-point lead on a layup with 2:21 left in the third quarter as the Raptors took advantage of a Grizzlies turnover.
The Raptors led 89-82 after the third quarter and led by nine when a jumper by Joseph opened the scoring in the fourth quarter.
The Grizzlies came back to within one point on Gasol's tip-in before Patterson's 3-pointer got Toronto's lead up to four.
NOTES: Memphis G Mike Conley (transverse vertebral fractures in lower back) will be out for about six weeks after being injured in the third quarter Monday in the loss to the Charlotte Hornets. ... Grizzlies G/F Vince Carter (right hip flexor) also missed the game Wednesday after being injured in the fourth quarter on Monday. ... F James Ennis (right calf), F Chandler Parsons (left knee), F/C Brandan Wright (left ankle) and F Zach Randolph (personal) also were out for Memphis. ... Raptors G Kyle Lowry became the first player in team history to go 6-for-6 in 3-point attempts Monday in the win over the Philadelphia 76ers. ... The Grizzlies return home to face the Orlando Magic on Thursday. ... The Raptors play the third game of their six-game homestand Friday against the Los Angeles Lakers.