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Grizzlies fend off Lakers

Nov 12, 2014 - 5:52 AM Memphis, TN (SportsNetwork.com) - Mike Conley scored 23 points and the Memphis Grizzlies nearly coughed up a huge fourth-quarter lead before holding on to best the Los Angeles Lakers, 107-102, at FedExForum.

Memphis got a huge boost from its bench, which was ranked among the worst units in the league entering Tuesday's game. Beno Udrih and Kosta Koufos shot a combined 13-for-16 from the floor for 16 and 14 points, respectively, as the Grizzlies got back in the win column following their first loss of the season on Saturday.

"Everybody on this team can play valuable minutes, that's how deep we are," Koufos said. "It's exciting."

Zach Randolph posted his sixth double-double in eight games with 11 points and 10 rebounds, getting there with a putback layup in the final seconds that sealed the victory. Marc Gasol did a little bit of everything, contributing eight points, nine assists and eight boards.

Kobe Bryant found himself on the wrong side of history during the loss. At 6:22 of the fourth quarter, Bryant missed his 13th shot of the game and passed Celtics legend John Havlicek for the most missed field goals in NBA history with his 13,418th.

Bryant did finish with 28 points but needed 26 shots to get them. Jordan Hill had 13 points and 14 rebounds, and Carlos Boozer scored a season-high 20 in the setback.

Memphis' eight-point lead heading into the fourth grew to 17 midway through the final stanza. Udrih and Koufos both scored four points during a 10-2 run to make it 101-84.

On LA's next possession, Bryant missed a turn-around jumper over Lee to break Havlicek's record. The rest of the quarter belonged to the Lakers.

Boozer's three-point play preceded a Hill free throw and Bryant triple, as the lead was down to 10 at 5:16.

Hill made two more buckets before Randolph ended a four minute scoring drought with a short hook shot. Bryant then scored five in a row to get the Lakers within three, 103-100.

Randolph ruined any hopes of a comeback, however, grabbing the rebound on Gasol's missed layup and putting it back in with 5.2 seconds left. Bryant missed a triple at the other end as the buzzer sounded.

"We just had to keep fighting," said Lakers big man Ed Davis. "We were in the game at halftime. We came out, they had a good start. We made a comeback and gave ourselves a chance to win, we just couldn't finish it out."

The Grizzlies led for most of the game, trailing for a 23-second window in the first quarter after Boozer's jumper made it 10-8. Conley followed with a layup and Tony Allen made a reverse, and Memphis never trailed the rest of the way.

Game Notes

The Grizzlies are 7-2 in their last nine meetings with the Lakers ... Lakers guard Wayne Ellington was granted an indefinite leave of absence from the team after his father was shot and killed on Sunday in Philadelphia ... Both teams had 38 rebounds ... Wesley Johnson had 15 points for LA.