Notebook: Grizzlies 98, Pistons 81

By Dana Gauruder, for NBA.com
Posted Friday January 20, 2012 11:04PM

THE FACTS: Forward Rudy Gay had 24 points and center Marc Gasol added 17 as the Memphis Grizzlies rolled to a 98-81 victory over the Detroit Pistons Friday night. Point guard Mike Conley contributed a double-double (14 points, 11 assists) for the Grizzlies while rookie point guard Brandon Knight scored a team-high 22 points for the Pistons, who lost for the 10th time in 11 games.

QUOTABLE: "He's really unstoppable. If he's not scoring a bucket, he's getting fouled. If he's not scoring a basket or getting fouled, he's making a play and getting an assist. When you see Zach (Randolph) go down, it's, 'Well, their inside presence is going to fall off a little bit.' But Marc has taken his game to a another level. He gets my All-Star vote. He's playing that type of basketball right now."
-- Memphis guard O.J. Mayo on Gasol

THE STAT: 64. The Pistons have been sloppy the last three games, committing 64 turnovers. They made a season-high 25 Friday, which the Grizzlies converted into 32 points. That was a big reason why Memphis shot 57.4 percent from the field.

TURNING POINT: The Grizzlies led by 23 early in the third but the Pistons made a run and were down just seven, 79-72, with 8:48 remaining. That's when Memphis turned up the defensive pressure again, as it forced seven turnovers during a 16-2 outburst to make it 95-74. Guard Tony Allen made two of his five steals during that span.

QUOTABLE II: "I'm tired of making an excuse. We've just got to find a way to play better."
-- Pistons coach Lawrence Frank after his team's record dropped to 3-13

HOT: Gay bounced back from 12-point, four-turnover outing at New Orleans with his fourth 20-point performance in the last five games. Gay was particular effective with his mid-range shots while making 10 of 17 field goals. Only two of his points came from the free throw line.

NOT: Pistons center Greg Monroe is averaging nine points in the last three games while shooting 11 of 32 from the field. He was just 4 of 12 Friday with four turnovers as Gasol blanketed him. Monroe's season scoring average dropped to 15.7 ppg.

NOTABLE: Pistons guards Rodney Stuckey (groin) and Will Bynum (foot) didn't play. Earlier in the day, they signed guard Walker Russell Jr. from the D League's Fort Wayne Mad Ants. The 29-year-old Russell made his NBA debut and had three points and two assists in 20 minutes. ... Detroit's 30 first-half points were a season low, as were its 12 first-quarter points. ... Mayo led the Grizzlies' reserves with 10 points and four assists.

UP NEXT: For the Grizzlies, Saturday vs. Sacramento, Monday @ Golden State, Tuesday @ Portland. For the Pistons, Saturday vs. Portland, Monday @ Oklahoma City, Wednesday vs. Miami.