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 Prince scored a season-high 21 points and guard Mike Conley added
20 as the Grizzlies ended the Washington Wizards' six-game winning
streak with a 110-104 victory Monday night.
Forward Zach Randolph had 16 points and 10 rebounds for the
Grizzlies (34-25), who improved to nine games over .500 for the
first time this season. Memphis scored 62 points in the paint en
route to sweeping the season series, though guard John Wall nearly
rallied the Wizards to victory.
Prince scored 14 points in the first half, and he finished the night
8-for-11 from the floor.
The Grizzlies outscored Washington 17-2 over the final 3:24 of the
third quarter for a 79-64 lead. Conley, Prince and Randolph combined
for 14 points in that span.
"The difference tonight was getting a couple of post-ups early,
making a couple of shots in the paint," Prince said. "Since I've
been here, it's pretty much been jump shot after jump shot. I had
the opportunity today to get inside."
Memphis made 13 of 19 field-goal attempts in the third quarter and
led 97-79 with 4:45 remaining in the fourth quarter.
"We knew they were a big offensive team in the paint that wanted to
get it to (center Marc) Gasol and those guys, but we basically let
everyone get into the paint," said Wall, who scored 13 of his 23
points in the fourth quarter.
Prince said, "They made some heck of a shots in the fourth quarter,
but for the most part. we did what we wanted to do on both ends."
The Wizards (31-29) tallied a season-high 40 points in the fourth
quarter, with Wall scoring 11 in the final 2:38. Named the NBA's
Player of the Week on Monday, the All-Star fueled Washington's surge
with eight consecutive points, including two 3-pointers.
Washington rookie forward Otto Porter made the first two 3-pointers
of his career in the fourth, and guard Bradley Beal's 3-pointer cut
Memphis' lead to 106-104 with 8.9 seconds remaining.
The Grizzlies sealed with the victory with six consecutive free
throws inside the final 20 seconds.
"We can still win seven of eight or eight or nine," Wall said. "I
think we're on the right path, and we'll keep going this way."
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Memphis improved to 16-11 on the road this season and 17-6 since
Gasol returned from a knee injury Jan. 14. The center finished with
10 points, eight assists and seven rebounds.
"We're always fighting, always scratching and clawing," Gasol said
regarding Memphis' road prowess. "That's what we've been doing for a
while now."
The teams played before a crowd far smaller than the announced
14,065, as a winter storm hammered the Washington metro area Monday.
Washington's entire starting lineup scored in double figures. Beal
had 21 points, and center Marcin Gortat added 16 points and eight
rebounds.
Issues cropped up defensively, as the Grizzlies made seven
consecutive shots from the field during the third.
Beal scored a career-high 37 points in the first meeting at Memphis
on Feb. 11, but the Grizzlies prevailed 92-89. Memphis held Wall to
five points in that matchup after he scored a career-high 47 against
them in a game the previous season.
Tied at 20-20 after the first quarter, Memphis took an 11-point lead
in the second period thanks to 10 points from Prince. The Grizzlies
entered halftime leading 50-45.
"We're more concerned with not letting teams get up early on us,"
Prince said of the Grizzlies' success on the road. "We're coming on
the road like, 'Let's get in it early and make it happen.' You hold
them to 20 points in the first quarter, that's our style of game."
NOTES: Already without power F Nene (knee), Washington played
without F Martell Webster (sore back), while C Kevin Seraphin missed
his third straight game with a sore right knee. Coach Randy Wittman
said he expects Webster back for Washington's next game... Wizards F
Otto Porter entered Monday 0-for-10 on 3-pointers for his career.
... Grizzlies F James Johnson (sore right ankle) sat out. ...
Wizards G John Wall was selected the Eastern Conference Player of
the Week after he averaged 25.0 points, 10.7 assists, 3.3 rebounds
and 2.0 blocks as Washington went 3-0. ... F Mike Miller is the only
member of the Grizzlies to play in all 59 games this season. ...
Memphis remains on the road for Wednesday's matchup at the Brooklyn
Nets. Washington hosts the Utah Jazz on Wednesday.
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