Gasol's 42 points carries Grizzlies past Raptors
MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Marc Gasol scored a career-high 42 points -- including the first 16 of the game for the Memphis Grizzlies -- to direct a 101-99 victory over the Toronto Raptors Wednesday night at FedExForum.
Gasol, expected to be named Thursday as a reserve on the Western Conference All-Star team, made 14 of 25 shots, including a career-best five 3-pointers. His previous career-high point total was 38, which he had achieved twice, the last coming Dec. 21 at Detroit.
Gasol sealed the game with two free throws with 36.3 seconds to go. Toronto's Kyle Lowry, who led the Raptors with 29 points, missed a potential game-winning 3-pointer from 28 feet at the buzzer.
The Raptors, who lost their fifth straight, played without injured guard DeMar DeRozan, the NBA's sixth-leading scorer at 27.9 points per game. He sprained his right ankle Sunday and missed his second straight game.
Still, Toronto battled to the final seconds and overcame a 12-point deficit (99-87) with 4:47 left to tie the game at 99 with just over a minute remaining.
Memphis got 16 points from Zach Randolph and a double-double from Tony Allen, who finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds.
Norman Powell scored 21 for Toronto, which outscored the Grizzlies in the paint (46-44) and on second-chance points (23-7).
The Grizzlies played without starting forward JaMychal Green, who was a late scratch with a left knee injury. Memphis also played without starting forward Chandler Parsons, who was doubtful before tipoff (right knee). Parsons missed his 28th game this season.
With Gasol scoring all the points, Memphis led 16-6 with 8:40 to go in the first quarter. But the Raptors quickly recovered behind Powell, who had 12 first-quarter points.
Toronto led 34-32 at the end of the quarter as it shot 59.1 percent, just slightly lower than the Grizzlies, who were a Gasol-driven 12-of-19 shooting in the period for 63.2 percent. Gasol had 19 first-quarter points.
In the second quarter, the Raptors built a seven-point lead on two occasions and held a 57-56 halftime advantage. Toronto was outshot 54 to 46 percent in the opening half, but outrebounded the Grizzlies, 25-19, and outscored them in the paint, 26-22.
Gasol had 23 points at the half on 8-of-14 shooting. Powell had 14.
In the third quarter, the Grizzlies pulled ahead. They outscored the Raptors 31-20, and held them to 30.4 percent (7-of-23) shooting for an 87-77 lead. Memphis ended the period on a 9-2 run capped by James Ennis, who drained a corner 3-pointer in the closing seconds. Gasol added 13 points in the quarter, including two 3-pointers.
NOTES: Memphis begins a 10-day, six-game road trip starting Friday at Portland. It will be the team's longest since a six-game road trip in March and April of 2007. ... Toronto G DeMar DeRozan missed his second straight game with a sprained right ankle, an injury he suffered in Sunday's 115-103 loss to the Phoenix Suns. DeRozan had played in each of the team's first 44 games and in 78 of 82 regular-season games last season. He has missed five or more games only once in his seven-year career (sidelined for 21 games in 2014-15 because of a groin injury. ... Grizzlies G Troy Daniels (right knee) and F/C Brandan Wright (left ankle) continue to make progress from their injuries, but did not play against Toronto.