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Grizzlies 110, Wizards 104
Jeff Hawkins is an award-winning sportswriter with more than four decades in the industry (print and digital media). A freelance writer/stay-at-home dad since 2008, Hawkins started his career with newspaper stints in Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Upstate New York and Illinois, where he earned the 2004 APSE first-place award for column writing (under 40,000 circulation). As a beat writer, he covered NASCAR Winston Cup events at NHIS (1999-2003), the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks (2003-06) and the NFL's Carolina Panthers (2011-12). Hawkins penned four youth sports books, including a Michael Jordan biography. Hawkins' main hobbies include mountain bike riding, 5k trail runs at the Whitewater Center in Charlotte, N.C., and live music.
All posts by Jeff HawkinsUpdated15 Oct 2021
WASHINGTON — Forward Tayshaun Prince scored a season-high 21 points and guard Mike Conley had 20 as the Memphis 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.
The Grizzlies outscored Washington 17-2 over the final 3:24 of the third quarter for a 79-64 lead as Conley, Prince and Randolph combined for 14 in that span. Memphis made 13 of 19 field-goal attempts in the third quarter and led 97-79 with 4:45 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Wall scored 13 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter for the Wizards (31-29), including 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 straight points, including two 3’s.
Guard Bradley Beal had 21 points. His 3-pointer cut Memphis’ lead to 106-104 with 8.9 seconds remaining, but the Grizzlies sealed with the win with six straight free throws inside the final 20 seconds.
The Grizzlies improved to 16-11 on the road this season and 17-6 since center Marc Gasol returned from a knee injury Jan. 14. Gasol finished with 10 points.
The teams played before a crowd far smaller than the announced 14,065 as a winter storm hammered the Washington D.C. metro area Monday.
Washington’s entire starting lineup scored in double figures, including center Marcin Gortat with 16 points. Issues cropped up defensively as the Grizzlies made seven consecutive shots from the field during the third.
Beal had 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 the previous season.
Memphis took an 11-point lead in the second period thanks to 10 points from Prince and entered halftime leading 50-45.
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. … Memphis F Tayshaun Prince led all scorers with 14 first-half points. … F James Johnson (sore right ankle) sat out for the Grizzlies. … Wizards G John Wall was named 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.
