LDN - Sports

Grizzlies snap skid with win over Pacers

[March 30, 2017] MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Asked if he felt he'd have a torrid shooting night following pregame warmups Wednesday night, Mike Conley said he knew more than 24 hours earlier.

When the team plane landed in Memphis Tuesday following an 0-4 road trip, he admitted his attention, and focus, was on leading the Memphis Grizzlies out of their slump.

In the Grizzlies' 110-97 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night at FedExForum, Conley was locked in from the outset, scoring 36 points -- including 16 in the first quarter. Vince Carter added 21 as the Grizzlies (41-34) snapped a four-game losing streak.

"My mindset was it was a `must-win (situation)' and I just wanted to make a statement, not only with my team, but with the coaches and the city that we weren't playing the basketball we need to be playing right now and we are better than this," Conley said. "That it means something. That it means more. I just wanted to be aggressive."

Conley said his shot was falling early -- he was 4 of 4 from beyond in the arc in the opening quarter -- and that he "took advantage" of that.

"Guys did a really good job of playing off that," Conley said. "The energy was great from (everyone). I'm just happy with our effort."

Paul George led the Pacers (37-38) with 22 points and Aaron Brooks scored 18. Thaddeus Young finished with 16 points and 13 rebounds. Indiana slipped into a tie for seventh place in the East with the Miami Heat, both teams 1 1/2 games ahead of the Chicago Bulls in the race for the conference's last two playoff spots.

George said the Pacers had no defensive answer for Conley, who made 13 of 21 shots including 7 of 12 3-point attempts.

"We made him uncomfortable (Feb. 24 in a 102-92 Indiana win) at home," George said. "Tonight it was the exact opposite. We allowed him to kind of orchestrate the whole offense and he got comfortable early. He's a flame-thrower. Once he gets hot it's over."

Playing without injured starters Marc Gasol and JaMychal Green, the Grizzlies started their 22nd lineup of the season -- Conley, Tony Allen, Carter, James Ennis and Brandan Wright -- and it clicked from the outset. Memphis led by 14 at the end of the first quarter and by 19 at halftime.

Wright, filling in for Gasol at center, made only his third start for the Grizzlies and scored 13 points on 6-of-10 shooting. Zach Randolph had 17 points off the bench.

Memphis shot 57.1 percent through three quarters and maintained a double-digit lead for most of the game. The Grizzlies built their biggest lead (25 points) midway through the third quarter when Allen drove for a layup after freezing his defender with a crossover move.

"What you saw as a (Grizzlies) starting lineup...that's the league now," Memphis coach David Fizdale said. "That's like your prototypical NBA team when you talk about speed and space.

"We were desperate (with the injuries to Gasol and Green), so I was just looking at the situation. I said 'How can we give Mike the best chance to get off to a great start? I said `Let's spread them out and try to be right attacking the rim on rolls and get Mike downhill as much as possible.' I lucked up."

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Pacers forward CJ Miles (0) handles the ball against Memphis Grizzlies forward James Ennis III (8) during the first half at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Justin Ford-USA TODAY Sports

The Grizzlies used a torrid-shooting first half to grab a 72-53 lead. Conley led with 22 points through the opening two quarters, a total that included 6-of-7 shooting from beyond the arc. Carter added 13 and was perfect on his three 3-point attempts.

Memphis scored a season-high 38 first-quarter points and their 72 first-half points were two shy of a franchise record. The Grizzlies scored 70 or more points before halftime for the first time since April 2008.

"They got off to a fast start and Conley was pushing the ball," said Pacers coach Nate McMillan. "We weren't able to keep up with him and they just kept the pressure on us throughout the game."

The Grizzlies shot 58.7 percent in the first half and led by as many as 22. Memphis made 10 of its 17 3-pointers and scored 28 points in the paint.

The Pacers trailed by 19 at halftime despite shooting 60 percent (12-of-20) in the second quarter.

NOTES: The Indiana Pacers reportedly reached an agreement on a three-year deal with G/F Lance Stephenson. Stephenson will take the place of veteran G Rodney Stuckey, who was waived Wednesday. Stuckey is recovering from a left knee injury and will be out four to six weeks. ... Grizzlies C Marc Gasol missed his third straight game with a left foot strain and F JaMychal Green did not play because of left shoulder soreness. Memphis coach David Fizdale called Gasol's foot strain a "day-to-day" injury. ... The Grizzlies also lost G Andrew Harrison to a right ankle injury in the third quarter. ... Pacers F Thaddeus Young ranks 20th in the NBA in field-goal percentage (51.6 percent). He shot 8 of 12 on Wednesday. ... Grizzlies F Vince Carter passed Ray Allen (24,505) to move into 22nd place in NBA history for career points scored. Carter needs six more games played to pass Kobe Bryant (1,346) for 13th in NBA history for career regular-season games.

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