Celtics 95, Grizzlies 92
Avery Bradley scored 17 points and Jae Crowder added 16 off the bench as Boston held off visiting Memphis.
Kelly Olynyk added 15 points in a reserve role for the Celtics, who are 1 1/2 games back of Miami for the No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference. Tyler Zeller collected 12 points and nine rebounds while Brandon Bass scored 12 points for Boston.
Mike Conley scored 20 points to lead the Grizzlies but was way off the mark on a tying 3-point attempt in the final seconds. Tony Allen added 16 points on 7-of-9 shooting off the bench and Zach Randolph had 14 points and eight boards for Memphis.
Jonas Jerebko’s 3-pointer put the Celtics in front 77-74 with 7:11 left but Conley hit a pair of 3-pointers in an 8-1 run that left the Grizzlies up four with 4:46 left. Crowder’s 3-pointer knotted it at 88 with 1:39 remaining and Randolph’s layup put Memphis back in front before Marcus Smart converted a three-point play off a lob to the rim out of a timeout for Boston, and Bradley’s pullup jumper from the top of the key with 7.9 seconds to play forced Conley into taking a hurried shot.
The Celtics led by eight early in the second quarter and were up 39-33 with 2:19 left in the half before the Grizzlies scored the final six points to send it into the break tied. Olynyk’s jumper at the buzzer in the third put Boston up 64-63 heading into the final stanza.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Conley had to be helped off the court by two teammates after an apparent ankle injury early in the third but returned to the game with 9:04 left in the fourth. … Boston G Isaiah Thomas (bruised lower back) sat out the game and is day-to-day. … Former Celtic Jeff Green returned for the first time since being traded to Memphis and scored 11 points on 4-of-13 shooting.