The Memphis Grizzlies opened their longest homestand of the season with a 91-84 win over the Denver Nuggets at FedExForum on Friday night. The win is their first at home win of the 2016 calendar year.
With tonight’s win, Memphis improved to 20-18 on the season, while Denver fell to 13-24 on their regular season slate.
Zach Randolph led all Grizzlies scorers with 24 points and six rebounds as part of the second unit. Jeff Green finished the game with 16 points and grabbed nine rebounds, while Matt Barnes contributed 15 points to go along with his seven rebounds on the night.
Marc Gasol and Mario Chalmers each tallied 12 points, with Tony Allen chipping in 10 points, nine rebounds and three steals. This is the first time since Dec. 14 (and in 2016) that all Grizzlies starters scored in double figures (Barnes, Green, Gasol, Allen and Chalmers).
Danilo Gallinari led the way for the visitors, dropping 29 points and collecting eight rebounds. Darrell Arthur notched 12 points and pulled down eight rebounds, while Gary Harris ended the night with 11 points.
The two teams battled back and forth in the first quarter with Denver edging Memphis 30-29 heading into the second period. The Grizzlies’ defense was relentless in the second quarter, forcing seven turnovers, which helped the team take a 49-37 lead into the half.
In the third frame, the Nuggets battled back to outscore the Grizzlies, 29-18. However, Memphis maintained a 67-66 lead heading into the fourth quarter. With 3:18 remaining in the game, the Grizzlies scored six straight points to take an 86-78 lead, which would help seal the victory.
The Grizzlies are back in action on Sunday, Jan. 10 when they host the Boston Celtics at FedExForum. Tip-off is set for 5 p.m. and fans can catch the game on FOX Sports Southeast or tune in to 92.9 FM ESPN.
Box Score | Discuss the game on the Fan Boards.
— Coach Dave Joerger
— Coach Dave Joerger
— Coach Dave Joerger
— Tony Allen
— Tony Allen
— Zach Randolph
— Zach Randolph
The Grizzlies’ homestand continues on Sunday against the visiting Celtics at 5pm.
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