Randolph powers Grizzlies to 92-86 victory over Spurs for 8th straight home win

Randolph powers Grizzlies to 8th straight home win

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Zach Randolph had 23 points and 15 rebounds, and the Memphis Grizzlies beat the San Antonio Spurs 92-86 on Saturday night for their franchise-record eighth straight home victory.

O.J. Mayo scored 19 points and Marc Gasol had 14 for Memphis, which survived a late rally and won the second game of a back-to-back for the first time this season.

Tim Duncan led the Spurs with 23 points and eight rebounds. Roger Mason had 17 points and Keith Bogans added 13 for San Antonio, which lost its second straight.

Mason keyed the late San Antonio comeback with a pair of 3-pointers, part of a 12-0 run. His 20-footer cut the Memphis lead to 87-86 with 41 seconds remaining, but Randolph hit five of his six free throws in the final 51 seconds as Memphis won for the fourth time in five games.

Duncan connected on 11 of 17 from the field, but took only one shot in the fourth quarter.

San Antonio, which trailed by as many as 14 in the second half, turned up the defensive pressure in the final period but could never overtake Memphis, which snapped a five-game losing streak to the Spurs.

San Antonio took an early lead behind accurate shooting. Duncan hit his first five shots and had 13 first-half points, all in the opening quarter.

Memphis, coming off a 135-110 victory Friday over Minnesota, seemed sluggish at the outset, but the Grizzlies were matching San Antonio inside, and the game eventually settled into a physical contest.

The Grizzlies overtook the Spurs with a 14-3 run in the middle stages of the second period. Mayo’s layup in the closing seconds of the half gave the Grizzlies a 52-42 lead at the break as Gasol had 11 points.

Memphis stretched the margin to 14 in the third, as Duncan was the only one helping San Antonio stay within striking distance. The Grizzlies were only 10 of 19 from the free throw line through the third, while San Antonio was 4 of 8.

Duncan scored 10 in the third period, and San Antonio cut the deficit under double digits a couple of times late in the quarter before Memphis carried a 75-65 lead into the fourth.

NOTES: San Antonio had not lost to Memphis since Dec. 19, 2007. Spurs reserve F/C Antonio McDyess missed only his second game of the season, sitting out with neck and back spasms. His injury probably assured Duncan of playing against the Grizzlies. The Spurs, at times, have chosen to sit Duncan on the second game of back-to-backs “to put some insurance in the bank” for later in the season, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said in pregame comments, adding that Duncan “wanted to play.” Spurs rookie F DeJuan Blair and Grizzlies reserve F Sam Young both played last season at Pittsburgh and were chosen with consecutive picks in the draft — Young 36th and Blair 37th.