Final
Rookie powers Wizards past Grizzlies
Oct 9, 2008 - 2:48 AM By Jason Smith PA SportsTicker Contributing WriterMEMPHIS, Tennessee (Ticker) -- The Washington Wizards didn't need their top four players to spoil the Memphis Grizzlies' preseason home opener at FedEx Forum.
Rookie center JaVale McGee had 20 points and eight rebounds off the bench to lead the Wizards past the Grizzlies, 89-80, on Wednesday.
Andray Blatche scored 14 points and DerMarr Johnson added 11 for Washington, which outscored Memphis, 44-34, in the paint and 19-10 in fast-break points.
Rudy Gay's 21 points led Memphis, which trailed by as many as 12 in the fourth quarter.
Hakim Warrick had 16 points and 11 rebounds, while Marc Gasol - the younger brother of former Grizzlies All-Star forward and current member of the Los Angeles Lakers Pau Gasol - had 10 points and nine rebounds.
Washington, which held Memphis to 35 percent shooting, was without starters Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler, Antawn Jamison and Brendan Haywood.
Memphis held Washington scoreless for nearly six minutes of the first quarter but led just 18-14 entering the second quarter after connecting on just 31 percent of its shots.
Washington took command midway through the second quarter. DeShawn Stevenson's 3-pointer with 4:49 left in the period ignited a 6-0 spurt, helping the Wizards take a 43-35 lead into halftime.
Rookie guard O.J. Mayo scored seven points on 3-of-11 shooting for Memphis.
- NBA
WASHINGTON 89
MEMPHIS 80 FINAL
Oct 8 10:27 PM - NBA
WASHINGTON 69
MEMPHIS 59 END, 3RD QTR
Oct 8 9:58 PM - NBA
WASHINGTON 43
MEMPHIS 35 HALFTIME
Oct 8 9:13 PM - NBA
WASHINGTON 14
MEMPHIS 18 END, 1ST QTR
Oct 8 8:37 PM
Related News
- Holiday gifts for each of the Wizards Dec 26
- Preview: Wizards meet with the Magic day after Christmas Dec 25
- NBA Christmas 2023 Open Thread Dec 25
- Bradley Beal doesn’t want to see the Wizards move to Virginia Dec 23
- The Numbers Crunch: Wizards bow to Curry and the Warriors Dec 23
- Wizards at Warriors: Washington walloped 129-118 in San Francisco Dec 23
- Wizards at Warriors GameThread Dec 22
- Wizards at Warriors: Odds for tonight’s game Dec 22
- Preview: Wizards are in the Bay Area taking on the Warriors Dec 22
- The Numbers Crunch: Wizards win a squeaker against Portland Trail Blazers Dec 22
- Recap: Wizards hang on against the surging Blazers Dec 22
- Wizards at Trail Blazers GameThread Dec 21