Conley's 31 fuel Grizzlies' fifth win in a row
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Mike Conley scored a season-high 31 points and the Memphis Grizzlies rolled to their fifth straight win with a 105-90 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Monday night at the Spectrum Center.
The Grizzlies (9-5) jumped out to a 24-point halftime lead and led by 26 early in the third quarter. That was all the cushion they needed to win for the third time in the last four days.
Conley was 11 of 21 from the field and 5 of 8 from 3-point range. The Grizzlies also got 14 points and eight rebounds from Zach Randolph, 13 points and eight rebounds from Marc Gasol, 12 points each from JaMychal Green and Tony Allen, and 10 from Vince Carter.
The Hornets (8-5) have now lost two in a row.
Frank Kaminsky led the Hornets with 23 points. Kemba Walker scored 17, Marco Belinelli and Spencer Hawes scored 14 each, and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist had 11 points and 10 rebounds.
Memphis wasted no time taking control, jumping out to a 16-4 lead five minutes into the game. The Grizzlies went on to lead 32-22 after one quarter. Then came another spurt in the final five minutes of the half and the lead grew to 69-45 at halftime.
Memphis shot 58.1 percent from the field in the half and was 10 of 16 from 3-point range. Conley had 18 points and Gasol 13 at intermission.
The Grizzlies suffered through a 15-point third quarter, shooting just 28.6 percent, and the Hornets closed the gap to 84-71 after three quarters.
Charlotte got as close as 84-75 early in the fourth quarter, but the Grizzlies regrouped from there and eventually pushed the lead back up to as many as 17.
NOTES: The Hornets were without C Cody Zeller (right shoulder soreness), G Jeremy Lamb (strained hamstring), F Christian Wood (sprained ankle) and G Treveon Graham (strained Achilles). ... The Grizzlies were without F Chandler Parsons (knee). ... The Grizzlies were coming off a 93-71 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday, one night after holding the Dallas Mavericks to 64 in an 80-64 win. That's their best back-to-back defensive effort since 2005. ... The Hornets were coming off a 121-116 overtime loss at New Orleans on Saturday, their first overtime game of the season. ... The Grizzlies have allowed opponents the fewest offensive rebounds in the NBA (7.7 per game) and the Hornets have committed the fewest turnovers in the league (11.3). ... The Hornets have three home games this week sandwiched around a trip to New York on Friday. They'll host San Antonio on Wednesday, then come back to host New York on Saturday. ... The Grizzlies were starting a stretch with three of their next four games on the road. They'll play Wednesday at Philadelphia.