Grizzlies 87 - 107 Wizards
Final
  for this game

Wizards cruise past short-handed Grizzlies

Mar 13, 2015 - 6:05 AM

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Washington, DC (SportsNetwork.com) - The Washington Wizards took advantage of the depleted Memphis Grizzlies to win back-to-back games for the first time in over a month.

Marcin Gortat had 22 points and nine rebounds as the Wizards routed the Grizzlies 107-87 on Thursday night.

John Wall added 21 points, seven rebounds and six assists for the Wizards, who have won three of their last four games on the heels of a 1-7 stretch. Paul Pierce netted 17 points.

Washington hadn't won consecutive contests since Feb. 7-9.

JaMychal Green and Jarnell Stokes each scored 13 points for Memphis, which was without Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph and Mike Conley, its top three leading scorers.

"We've got some complacency going on. Hopefully we've addressed that," Memphis coach Dave Joerger said.

Conley twisted his right ankle against the Boston Celtics Wednesday, while Gasol and Randolph were held out to rest.

Wall took it as a sign of disrespect.

"I think we're a team that's on the rise, and teams respect us now. And I guess they don't respect us," Wall said.

The game was tied 43-43 a little past the midway point of the second quarter, but the Wizards closed the opening half on a 17-4 run to seize control of the contest.

Pierce netted eight points and knocked down a pair of 3-pointers during the surge, including one to cap it and stake Washington to a 60-47 cushion heading into the break.

The Wizards further extended their advantage with a 19-4 burst in the third. Drew Gooden's running bank shot finished off the swing for a 79-55 margin at the 5:14 mark.

Washington, which trailed 33-26 following a quarter of play, took an 89-71 spread into the fourth, where it cruised to the easy victory.

Game Notes

Washington scored 27 points off 23 Memphis turnovers ... Memphis fell to 4-1 without Conley this season and 4-7 when Randolph doesn't play. It was the first game Gasol has missed this season ... The Grizzlies were just 3-of-19 from beyond the arc.






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