Grizzlies 108, Hornets 99
Marc Gasol scored 20 points and added 11 rebounds as the Memphis Grizzlies earned their second straight victory, fending off the visiting New Orleans Hornets 108-99 Saturday night.
Gasol's first-quarter scoring spree kept his team in the game, and the rest of the lineup took over from there as the Grizzlies won for the fifth time in the past seven meetings between the clubs.
Memphis grew a 10-point halftime lead to 15 on a Dante Cunningham layup with just under four minutes remaining in the third quarter. The Hornets finished the quarter with a flourish - scoring 10 points in the final 2:08 - but still trailed 86-75 entering the fourth.
Unheralded rookie Gustavo Ayon led the Hornets back, scoring five straight points to cut the deficit to 86-82. Back-to-back jumpers from Jason Smith made it a two-point game, but Memphis fought off repeated challenges before a Rudy Gay 3-pointer put the Grizzlies up 105-95 with 2:15 remaining.
Gay led Memphis with 23 points while Mike Conley added 17 points and seven assists.
Jarrett Jack paced the Hornets with 23 points.
Gasol erupted for 11 points and four rebounds in the opening quarter, but his teammates shot just 4-for-15 over the opening 12 minutes as the Grizzlies trailed 24-20 after one. He was given a little more help in the second quarter, as O.J. Mayo and Gay combined for 13 points - capped by a long Gay 3-pointer in the final minute - to lead the Grizzlies into the break ahead 57-47.