 Wright, who was starting his fifth game of the season, was inserted into the lineup for Jason Richardson, who sat out with a low back strain. Wright was 8 of 11 from the field, part of the Sixers shooting 52 percent, including 9 of 16 outside the arc. Wright hit 5 of 8 from long range.
Thaddeus Young and Jrue Holiday had 13 points each for Philadelphia, Holiday adding nine assists. Nick Young finished with 12 points. Hawes blocked five shots, part of Philadelphia recording a season-high 12 rejections.
Zach Randolph led the Grizzlies with 23 points and nine rebounds, while Marc Gasol had 18 points and eight rebounds. Quincy Pondexter scored 13 and Mike Conley had 10 for Memphis, which lost its second straight.
The Grizzlies played the game without leading scorer Rudy Gay, who was not with the team. Team officials listed his absence as "personal reasons."
The Sixers took control of the game in the early stages of the fourth quarter, when they built the lead to as many as 15 points, enough of a buffer to endure a Memphis rally later in the period.
The Sixers, who trailed by 10 points in the second quarter, rallied for a 49-47 halftime lead as Wright had 13 points, including 2 of 4 from outside the arc.
Philadelphia scored the final eight points of the half to erase a six-point Memphis lead.
The real burst came from Hawes entering the game. Gasol had scored 12 first-quarter points against Lavoy Allen. Hawes not only shut down Gasol in the second quarter, but added 11 points, hitting 5 of 7 shots, part of the Sixers connecting at a 50 percent clip in the first half.
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The teams remained close though the third period as Wright continued to connect. The teams were tied at 64 after Conley made a 3-pointer for Memphis.
The Sixers, who were maintaining a 50-percent shooting touch, were able to use a late mini-rally to carry a 75-70 lead into the fourth period.
Philadelphia extended its lead to 83-73 with consecutive 3-pointers from Royal Ivey and Young and a baseline jumper from Hawes.
Memphis brought the bulk of its starting lineup back at that point, but it didn't stop the Sixers rally. The lead would eventually reach 15 points on Ivey's second 3-pointer of the period with just under 8 minutes to play.
Memphis got no closer than eight points the rest of the way.
NOTES: NASCAR Nationwide series driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who lives south of Memphis in Olive Branch, Miss., attended the game and participated in tricycle race with a fan during a first-half timeout. Stenhouse won.
... In three games against the Grizzlies in his career, Evan Turner entered the game with a total of 12 points. He scored one Wednesday night.
... The Sixers previous high for blocks this season was 11 at Cleveland on Nov. 21.
... The Sixers were playing the second game of an eight-game road trip.
[Associated
Press; By CLAY BAILEY]
Copyright 2012 The Associated
Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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