Grizzlies hold off Knicks
MEMPHIS -- Mike Conley scored 31 points and the Memphis Grizzlies clinched the seventh seed in the Western Conference playoffs Friday night at FedExForum with a 101-88 victory over the New York Knicks.
The Grizzlies, who will play San Antonio in the first round, also got 16 points and 10 rebounds from Marc Gasol. Courtney Lee scored 16 to lead the Knicks and Maurice Ndour, one of three rookies in the starting lineup, finished with a career-high 15.
The Knicks played without their two leading scorers -- Carmelo Anthony (rest) and Kristaps Porzingis (back injury) -- and their absences eventually were felt.
Although New York led 72-70 entering the final quarter, the Grizzlies opened that quarter with a 26-8 run to pull away. Vince Carter had three 3-pointers during the stretch and Conley had two. Gasol contributed another.
Carter scored 12 for the Grizzlies, who close the regular season with home games against Detroit and Dallas.
The Knicks lost their 50th game of the season, extending their streak to three seasons with at least 50 losses.
Memphis snapped a three-game losing streak.
Ahead for most of the first three quarters, the Grizzlies fell behind late in the third as Sasha Vujacic put together an 8-0 run. Two 3-pointers by Vujacic gave the Knicks their first lead (69-66) since the opening half.
Behind 21 points from Conley, the Grizzlies led by six points (53-47) at the half. Conley was 8 of 11 from the field in the half, including 5 of 7 from beyond the arc.
Memphis, ahead by six after the first quarter, extended its advantage to 12 points on two occasions in the second period, the latter on a 3-pointer from JaMychal Green for a 44-32 lead.
But the Knicks remained close by shooting 52 percent (11 of 21) in the quarter.
NOTES: Knicks F/C Kristaps Porzingis, second on the team with an 18.1 scoring average, missed his third straight game with a sore back. ... Grizzlies G Mike Conley returned after missing Wednesday's game against Oklahoma City with a lacerated and swollen left eye. Conley was injured late in Tuesday's loss at San Antonio after bumping heads with Kawhi Leonard. ... Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek said F Carmelo Anthony, who sat out Friday's game (scheduled rest), likely will play in the team's final two games against Toronto and Philadelphia. Anthony had 23 points and six rebounds in Thursday's 106-103 loss to the Wizards. ... Grizzlies F Zach Randolph was limited to two points on 1-of-8 shooting. He needs two points to surpass Magic Johnson for 75th on the NBA scoring list. Randolph has 17,706 career points.