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Timberwolves-Grizzlies Preview

Jan 14, 2010 - 9:32 PM By ALAN FERGUSON STATS Writer

Minnesota (8-32) at Memphis (19-18), 8:00 p.m. EDT

It's doubtful the Memphis Grizzlies or the Minnesota Timberwolves will repeat the wild events of their previous games any time in the near future.

The Grizzlies, though, rallied to keep their home win streak intact after a strange occurrence and will attempt to add a franchise record-tying seventh straight victory there Friday night against the Timberwolves.

Memphis (19-18) will also search for its 10th win in 13 overall games after edging the Los Angeles Clippers 104-102 on Tuesday night. That victory, however, was overshadowed by an evacuation at the FedEx Forum with 47.8 seconds left in the third quarter.

A broken water line in the sprinkler system triggered the building's fire alarm and forced players, fans and officials to head outside. When the game resumed following a 36-minute delay, the Grizzlies came back from a 13-point deficit.

Zach Randolph had nine of his 20 points in the fourth quarter, and Marc Gasol shook off a bruised shoulder to score six of his 24 points, matching Rudy Gay for the team's best.

"It was a little bit of adversity, something a little different," guard O.J. Mayo said. "I just wanted to get back and start hoopin'. I didn't want them to call the game or postpone it."

With that comeback, Memphis moved within one victory of matching its team-record run at home from Jan. 2-25, 2004. Randolph has led the way during the current win streak with 27.2 points per game.

The Timberwolves, meanwhile, endured the longest game in team history but came up empty for the third straight time on their four-game road trip, 120-114 in triple overtime against Houston.

The wildness began when Tennessee native Corey Brewer tied the game in regulation on a half-court shot at the buzzer, but Minnesota (8-32) couldn't outlast the Rockets despite Al Jefferson's 26 points and team-record 26 rebounds.

"We kept fighting and got back into the game," said Jefferson, the subject of recent trade rumors. "I'm really crushed. It took a lot out of us."

The Timberwolves also suffered their fifth straight road loss, and they've dropped eight of nine overall since back-to-back wins Dec. 23-26.

Jefferson, who leads the team with 18.0 points per game, has tried to help his team by averaging 22.3 points in the past six contests. However, he hasn't been a factor in two losses this season to the Grizzlies.

He scored 12 points on 4-of-13 shooting when in a 97-95 home defeat Dec. 2, and a family illness caused him to miss the team's previous trip to Memphis, a 97-87 loss on Nov. 14. Ryan Gomes, however, has averaged a team-leading 17.5 points on 62.5 percent shooting in those games.

The Grizzlies have also held Minnesota to an average of 91.0 points in those two meetings.

After dropping their previous four matchups with the Timberwolves, Memphis has had six players average in double figures in the two wins this season, led by Gay's 19.5 points.

The Grizzlies are 7-3 at home against the Timberwolves since the start of the 2004-05 season but have dropped two of the last three meetings there.