Thomas (37 points) leads Celtics over Grizzlies in OT
MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Point guard Isaiah Thomas scored a career-high 44 points to lead the Boston Celtics to a 112-109 victory in overtime against the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday night at FedExForum.
The Celtics (16-12) led by as many as five points late in overtime They erased a nine-point deficit at the start of the fourth quarter and Thomas hit two free throws with 27 seconds left in regulation to tie the game 97-97.
Memphis center Marc Gasol (24 points, seven rebounds, six assists) missed a turnaround jumper with 1.9 seconds left. Boston center Al Horford (17 points, 14 rebounds) had a chance to win the game in regulation but his short shot went in just after time expired.
Thomas scored the first nine points of the fourth quarter for the Celtics and assisted on the next basket as Boston cut into the Memphis lead. The Celtics gained their first lead of the second half 86-85 on a layup from guard Avery Bradley (16 points) with 4:17 left.
Thomas finished 10 of 16 from the floor, 7 of 10 from 3-point range, and made a career-best 17 of 17 at the foul line. Thomas also had six assists, three rebounds, two steals and a block.
Guard Troy Daniels had 24 points off the bench for Memphis and point guard Mike Conley finished with 19 points and eight assists.
The Grizzlies (18-12) lost their third straight and led by as many as 17 points in the second half. They were up 63-46 in the third quarter before the Celtics went on a 14-1 run to trim the lead to four points. Memphis carried a 71-62 lead into the fourth quarter.
Boston shot 40.7 percent from the floor and was 12 of 37 from 3-point range. The Grizzlies shot 40.4 percent from the field and were 12 of 30 from distance.
Memphis power forward Zach Randolph (nine points) was assessed a flagrant 2 foul in the overtime and ejected.
The Grizzlies led 45-31 at halftime. Gasol led all first-half scorers with 15 points.
NOTES: Memphis fell to 4-1 in overtime this season. ... Boston PG Isaiah Thomas entered Tuesday's game seventh in the NBA in scoring at 25.9 points per game and has the three high games for Celtics players this season, twice scoring 37 points before Tuesday. ... After Tuesday's game, nine of the Grizzlies' next 12 games are on the road. Memphis is 7-5 away from FedExForum. ... Memphis F JaMychal Green recorded his fifth double-double of the season in Sunday's loss to Utah. He increased his rebounds per-game average from 4.8 last season to 8.0 this season. ... Tuesday marked Memphis PG Mike Conley's third game back in action after suffering lower-back fractures Nov. 28 vs. Charlotte. He's playing without pain medication. "Tough cat," Grizzlies coach David Fizdale said. ... The Celtics came into Tuesday's game with a 3-7 record against Western Conference teams. ... Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace held the same position in Boston from 1997-2007.