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Grizzlies pick up crucial win over Nuggets

Apr 5, 2014 - 6:04 AM Memphis, TN (SportsNetwork.com) - Marc Gasol scored 24 points and Zach Randolph added 20 points and 15 rebounds to lead the Memphis Grizzlies to a 100-92 win over the Denver Nuggets on Friday.

Mike Conley added 21 points while Tayshaun Prince and Courtney Lee chipped in with 12 and 10 points, respectively, for the Grizzlies, who have won two of their last three.

Memphis is now tied with Phoenix for the eighth spot in the Western Conference and both teams trail Dallas by one half game for seventh.

Randy Foye scored 21 points, Kenneth Faried had 17 points and 12 rebounds and Ty Lawson finished with 16 points off the bench for the Nuggets, losers in five of their last six games.

"It was kind of an ugly game," Nuggets head coach Brian Shaw said. "We just have to keep continuing to fight and finish this thing out."

Lawson left the game with just over three minutes remaining after turning his ankle after stepping on Memphis guard Conley's foot while driving to the basket.

Lawson fell to the ground in pain, but remained in the game to attempt a pair of free throws. After hitting the second, Denver quickly fouled the Grizzlies and Lawson limped off the court and to the locker room.

The Nuggets pulled within five, 75-70, following a Timofey Mozgov 3-pointer, but a 15-6 run put the Grizzlies up 90-76 with 4:43 left. Conley capped the flurry with a 3-pointer and a free throw after Brian Shaw was whistled for a technical.

"I thought we came out in the second half and played with a nice intensity," Memphis head coach Dave Joerger said. "We made shots. Zach (Randolph) and Marc (Gasol) and Mike (Conley) were big all in the second half."

Foye had Denver within four, 96-92, after burying a 3-pointer with 52 ticks remaining. Memphis scored the final four points of the game to seal the win.

The Grizzlies jumped out to a 24-18 lead after 12 minutes. Ed Davis knocked down a jumper early in the second to make it 26-18, but a 25-9 swing from the Nuggets made it 43-35 with 1:55 left in the first half. Faried and Lawson both scored nine on the run. Denver took a 47-43 lead into the break.

The Grizzlies trailed 65-64 after Evan Fournier's dunk, but closed the third quarter with five straight points to take a 69-65 lead into the final frame.

Game Notes

The Grizzlies scored 17 points off 20 Denver turnovers ... The Memphis bench scored just 13 points ;... The Grizzlies were 2-for-11 from 3-point range ... Mozgov scored 13 points and Aaron Brooks added 11 for the Nuggets.