Grizzlies 94, Nuggets 91
GRIZZLIES 94, NUGGETS 91: O.J. Mayo matched a season high with 22 points and added a season-best eight assists as Memphis defeated host Denver.
Mike Conley scored 13 points and Dante Cunningham added 12 as the Grizzlies won for the 10th time in 12 games.
Corey Brewer, Al Harrington and Nene scored 15 points apiece and Andre Miller added 14 as the Nuggets lost for only the second time in seven games.
Denver had a chance to force overtime but Miller fumbled the ball for the Nuggets’ 23rd turnover with three seconds left. Conley picked it up as Memphis defeated the Nuggets for the third time this season and snapped an eight-game losing skid in Denver.
The Grizzlies led by one point before Conley hit two free throws to cap a 6-0 run that gave Memphis an 81-74 lead with 8:24 to play.
Denver pulled within 88-87 on Ty Lawson’s 3-pointer with 2:54 remaining, but Mayo hit clutch a 3-pointer with 57 seconds left to give Memphis a 94-89 lead.
The Grizzlies had 10 steals, four by Rudy Gay.
The Nuggets led 53-50 at halftime but made just 5 of 16 shots in the third quarter and Memphis took a 73-70 advantage into the final stanza.
GAME NOTEBOOK: The 20-point outing was the third of the season for Mayo, who has scored 16 or more points in four of the last five games. … Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari started for the first time in four games since returning from an ankle injury but was scoreless in 21 minutes. … Grizzlies center Marc Gasol had just seven points to halt a streak of 15 consecutive double-figure efforts. … The teams combined for 44 turnovers.