LDN - Sports

Cavs fall to Grizzlies without James, Love, Irving

[December 15, 2016] MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Marc Gasol and the Memphis Grizzlies were the beneficiaries of the Cleveland Cavaliers' decision to rest LeBron James, Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving on Wednesday.

Gasol scored 17 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as the Grizzlies defeated the short-handed Cavaliers 93-85 at FedExForum.

A night earlier, James and Love both played, combined for 52 points, and the Cavaliers beat the Grizzlies in Cleveland. Gasol remained in Memphis to rest Tuesday.

"It feels good to win. And for me, to play," Gasol said. "It's tough for me not to play yesterday and watch on TV. I don't like it, don't like it one bit. But it's not my decision."

Memphis is being especially careful with Gasol because he is coming off a complex foot surgery. He has not experienced setbacks, but that hasn't changed the plan of building in rest.

Gasol called watching Tuesday's game on TV painful, adding, "I just look at the game and suffer and get sweaty and get angry. Try not to talk too much. Then comes dinner, and I'm not talking through dinner. It's not fun, not fun at all."

On Wednesday night, the game was no fun for the Cavaliers (18-6). They never led and trailed by 25 points in the fourth quarter. Sitting James was a topic both pregame and postgame, and one fan at FedExForum held up a sign that read: "Drove four hours, spent 800 bucks, and LeBron stayed home."

"(Other teams) sit guys out every night," Cleveland coach Tyronn Lue said. "But when the Cavaliers do it or LeBron does it, it's something different. I understand, too, these people are wanting to see LeBron play. They've waited for this moment, and when the best player in the world doesn't play, it's tough on fans."

Not to mention the rest of the Cavaliers.

"It's kind of difficult for our guys to really find a rhythm being that we are so dominant with our top three guys," said swingman James Jones, who led the Cavs with 15 points off the bench. "But I like that we competed."

Memphis (18-9) got a game-high 20 points from guard Troy Daniels off the bench. He hit 4 of 8 3-point attempts. Swingman Tony Allen finished with 16 points, eight rebounds and three steals. Guard Toney Douglas chipped in with 14 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals.

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Daniels said the Grizzlies tried not to focus on who wasn't on the floor for Cleveland.

"It's the NBA. Some guys are going to rest," Daniels said. "It is what it is."

Cavaliers guard Kay Felder finished with 14 points, forward Mike Dunleavy scored 11, guard DeAndre Liggins had 10 points, and center Tristan Thompson added seven points and 11 rebounds.

Trailing by 11 points at halftime, Cleveland opened the third quarter on a 9-0 run to get within 47-45 after a jumper from guard J.R. Smith (eight points). However, the Grizzlies outscored the Cavaliers 27-8 the rest of the quarter and led 74-53 going in the fourth.

Cleveland shot 37.3 percent and hit 9 of 25 from 3-point range. The Grizzlies shot 43.2 percent and made 12 of 23 from distance.

Unclear after the game was whether Douglas would remain with the Grizzlies. He was signed via the NBA's injury-exception waiver, and that 10-day period is over on Thursday.

"He's helped us win (about) every game he's played in one way or another," Memphis coach David Fizdale said. "I don't even understand how he's not on an NBA roster. It's mindboggling. If there comes a day we have to let him go, I have a feeling somebody is going to snatch him up pretty quickly."

NOTES: After making just 4.8 3-pointers per game last season, the Grizzlies were averaging 8.2 this season before hitting 12 more Wednesday. .. Cavs F/C Tristan Thompson has the longest active consecutive regular-season games played streak in the NBA at 394. ... Memphis won the boards Wednesday night 55-40 and points in the paint 20-3. ... The Grizzlies were able to survive making 18 turnovers that led to 24 Cleveland points. Four Memphis players had more turnovers than field goals made.

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