Carter gets a start, helps Grizzlies win
MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Vince Carter, making his first start of the season, scored 24 points and Mike Conley added 20 points and 10 assists to lead the Memphis Grizzlies to a 113-93 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks Monday night at FedExForum.
Carter, starting in place of injured forward Chandler Parsons, made each of his eight shots, including six 3-pointers, to help the Grizzlies snap a season-long five-game losing streak.
Milwaukee had its six-game winning streak, its longest in five seasons, snapped.
In scoring a season-high point total, Carter became the first 40-year-old in NBA history to make at least five 3-pointers. He stepped into the lineup when the Grizzlies revealed before the game Parsons had a torn meniscus in his left knee and would be out indefinitely.
The Grizzlies also got 15 points from Tony Allen, who was re-inserted into the starting lineup after being benched for several games in favor of Andrew Harrison.
The Bucks were led by Giannis Antetokounmpo, who finished with 18 points.
Memphis shot 51.9 percent, which is the same percentage it shot from beyond the arc (14 of 27).
Leading by 10 at the half, the Grizzlies extended their advantage to 17 (76-59) midway through the third quarter after a baseline jumper from Conley. It was preceded by back-to-back 3-pointers from Carter and layups from Allen and Marc Gasol.
Milwaukee trimmed the deficit to eight points late in the third quarter and trailed by 11 (85-74) entering the fourth.
Although the Bucks cut the Grizzlies' lead to seven (94-87) midway through the fourth on a 3-pointer and a putback by Malcolm Brogdon, Memphis answered behind veteran Zach Randolph, who scored on successive hook shots in the paint. Randolph finished with 14 points and seven rebounds.
With Carter scoring 16 of his points in the first half, the Grizzlies owned a 61-51 lead at the break. Carter was 6 of 6 from the floor, including 4 of 4 from beyond the arc. He drained a 25-footer at the halftime buzzer for the 10-point advantage.
Memphis, which made only five 3-pointers in a 17-point loss to the Hawks Saturday, connected on nine 3-pointers in the first half. The Grizzlies did not trail in the first two quarters and led by as many as 12 following a three-point play by Randolph midway through the second quarter.
Memphis shot 52.4 percent in the opening half and outrebounded the Bucks 20-16. Matthew Dellavedova and Antetokounmpo each had 13 points for the Bucks before halftime.
NOTES: Grizzlies team officials said Monday before the game that F Chandler Parsons, who has undergone two right knee surgeries in the past two years and has been limited this season because of right knee issues, has been diagnosed with a partial tear of the meniscus in his left knee. Parsons, who signed a four-year, $94-million deal with the Grizzlies during the offseason, will be out indefinitely. "To suffer a setback like this after working so diligently to rebound from the injury to his right knee is obviously tough," said Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace in a statement released by the team. "That said, we know he will continue to work tirelessly to return to the court with his teammates and contribute." ... Rookie G Malcolm Brogdon (back) and F Mirza Teletovic (left hamstring) returned for the Bucks after missing the past two games with injuries. ... The Grizzlies announced that C Deyonta Davis has been recalled from the Iowa Energy, the franchise's NBA Development League affiliate. Davis averaged 10 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.17 blocks in six games with Iowa. ... Carter's first start of the season made him the oldest (at 40 years, 46 days) to start an NBA game in nearly four years. Miami's Juwan Howard was 40 years, 69 days when he started for the Heat on April 17, 2013.