Grizzlies-Pistons Preview

By MATT BEARDMORE
Posted Jan 19 2012 3:39PM

The Memphis Grizzlies have been getting off to outstanding starts during their season-high four-game winning streak.

Another one could be too much for the low-scoring Detroit Pistons to overcome.

The Grizzlies try to win back-to-back road games for the first time in nearly a year Friday night when they face a Pistons team looking to avoid its first five-game home losing streak since 2009-10.

Since dropping a season-worst three in a row, Memphis (7-6) has averaged 54.8 points and shot 56.3 percent in the first half during its surge. Opponents are scoring 42.8 points and hitting 39.7 percent from the field during this stretch.

"The veterans that are here are starting to get it and figure it out, so it's important that we do get off to a good start when we're on the road," said coach Lionel Hollins, whose team built a 55-48 halftime lead in a 93-87 victory at New Orleans on Wednesday.

Forward Rudy Gay and center Marc Gasol have done much of the first-half heavy lifting during the winning streak. Gay has made 24 of 33 field goals and scored a team-best 13.3 points in the opening 24 minutes during the run, while Gasol is averaging 9.8 points with 6.0 rebounds before halftime.

Their strong play has been critical in the Grizzlies going 6-3 since Zach Randolph suffered a torn MCL on Jan. 1.

Memphis is also getting strong production from 3-point range from O.J. Mayo and Mike Conley. Mayo has hit 11 for 17 from beyond the arc over the last five games, while Conley is 6 for 11 in the last three.

The solid all-around play has Memphis a season-best one game above .500. The Grizzlies haven't won two straight away from home since Jan. 28 and Feb. 2, but they'll go for a fourth consecutive road victory in this series following a 107-99 win Jan. 12, 2011.

Detroit (3-12), loser of nine of 10 overall, has dropped three straight to Memphis. The Pistons, averaging a league-low 85.0 points, haven't dropped five in a row on their home court since March 16-April 2, 2010.

They may need to improve their fourth-quarter play if they don't want to equal that mark. Detroit was outscored 29-14 in the final 12 minutes of a 93-85 loss at Minnesota on Wednesday and has been outscored by 25 in the fourth during its three-game skid.

"We have to understand late in games what we have to do to win," said guard Tayshaun Prince, who finished with a season-high 29 points Wednesday.

Giving more touches to Prince could help the Pistons get back on track. He is scoring 23.0 points and shooting 51.7 percent per game during the slide.

Second-year center Greg Monroe had 14 points and 11 boards in the Grizzlies' last visit to Detroit on Nov. 24, 2010, becoming the first Pistons rookie since Terry Tyler in 1978 to post four consecutive double-doubles.

Pistons guard Ben Gordon scored a team-high 25 points and hit four 3-pointers last Jan. 12.

Grizzlies pull away in 4th, rout Pistons 98-81

By NOAH TRISTER
Posted Jan 21 2012 1:22AM

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) In about 6 minutes, the Memphis Grizzlies had allowed their 23-point lead to be cut to seven. Coach Lionel Hollins had just been called for a technical foul, and there was more than enough time for Detroit to finish its comeback.

Mike Conley calmly halted the Pistons' run with a running jumper from about 10 feet. Then he stole the ball at midcourt and went in for an easy layup.

"(Teammate) Josh Davis was telling me how every time a team seems to get to five, six points, I tend to come up with some buckets or steals or big plays," Conley said. "I don't know what it is, but I just try to not let that game get out of hand."

Conley finished with 14 points and 11 assists, and Memphis took advantage of 25 Detroit turnovers to beat the Pistons 98-81 on Friday night. Rudy Gay scored 24 points to help the Grizzlies thwart a second-half rally by the Pistons.

Memphis, which has won five straight, let Detroit back in the game, but the Pistons never cut their deficit below six in the second half. They turned the ball over 11 times in the fourth quarter alone. The Grizzlies scored 32 points off turnovers in the game.

"One-third of their points came off turnovers," Detroit coach Lawrence Frank said. "Those are backbreaking. Those are crippling."

Rookie guard Brandon Knight scored 22 points for Detroit, which has lost 10 of 11.

Marc Gasol had 17 points for Memphis. Tayshaun Prince scored 14 for the Pistons, and Greg Monroe had 10 points and 13 rebounds.

The Pistons were without guards Rodney Stuckey (groin) and Will Bynum (right foot), as well as forward Charlie Villanueva (right ankle). They signed guard Walker Russell Jr. from the NBA Development League, and he made his NBA debut, scoring three points in just over 20 minutes of action.

The Grizzlies have injury problems of their own, but they've been able to overcome them so far. Zach Randolph is out with a torn MCL, but Memphis is 7-3 since he's been sidelined.

Memphis hadn't trailed in either of its previous two games, and the Grizzlies were behind only briefly at the start Friday night. Detroit was ahead 5-2 when Memphis went on a 15-2 run and appeared ready to put the game away early. It was 22-12 after the first quarter and 49-30 at halftime.

The Pistons looked headed for another desultory loss, but they made a game of it by scoring more points in the third quarter (35) than they did in the first half. Knight led a 13-0 run in the middle of the third, hurting Memphis with his ability to drive to the basket.

That run ended with those back-to-back baskets by Conley, which gave the Grizzlies at 68-57 lead. Knight started the fourth quarter with a driving bank shot to make it 73-67.

The Pistons trailed 79-72 after Knight made two free throws, but O.J. Mayo was left open on the left wing, and his 3-pointer started a 16-2 run by Memphis. Gay's 3-pointer made it 95-74.

"I wished we could have maintained that 20-point lead so that we could have rested some guys for tomorrow night," said Hollins, whose team hosts Sacramento on Saturday. "We've got to do whatever it takes to get a win. We did and we'll worry about tomorrow night when it gets here."

The Grizzlies shot 57 percent for the game.

"We didn't do a good job building off the momentum we built ourselves," Detroit's Ben Gordon said. "We need to have the same kind of intensity (throughout games). We can't pick our spots. We're not that good of a team yet."

NOTES: Tony Allen had five steals and Conley added four for the Grizzlies. ... Knight was 6 of 18 from the field but made all 10 of his free throws. ... Detroit shot 44 percent from the field.

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.

• Grizzlies: Arthur, Randolph
• Pistons: Villanueva

• Grizzlies: Hollins
• Pistons: Frank

• Lead Changes: 1
• Times Tied: 1

• Arena: Palace of Auburn Hills, Detroit, MI
• Officials: #10 Ron Garretson, #30 John Goble, #52 Scott Twardoski
• Attendance: 10255
• Duration: 2:09