Grizzlies Remain In Playoff Hunt With 102-90 Win Over Lakers
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Mike Conley scored 24 points and Memphis pulled away in the third quarter to beat the Los Angeles Lakers 102-90 on Sunday night, moving the Grizzlies a game ahead of idle Phoenix in the race for the final Western Conference playoff berth.
Marc Gasol added 18 points and 15 rebounds and Mike Miller had 13 points for the Grizzlies, who head to Phoenix for a showdown with the Suns on Monday night. Gasol hugged his brother Pau after the game; Pau has been out for the Lakers with vertigo.
Jodie Meeks led the Lakers with 20 points in their last home game of a miserable season that has included a franchise-worst 55 losses with two games remaining.
They lost their seventh in a row overall and fifth straight at Staples Center. Wesley Johnson added 15 points and 15 rebounds, and Jordan Hill added a double-double of 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Tied at 61 in the third, the Grizzlies pulled away on a 26-8 run to lead 87-69 going into the fourth. Conley scored six points, Tayshaun Prince had seven and Gasol added six in the spurt that produced their first double-digit lead of the game. Memphis shot 68 percent in the period.
Nick Young, who finished with 14 points off the bench, had the Lakers' only field goal over the final 5 1/2 minutes of the third, when they shot 29 percent and were outrebounded 14-6.
The Lakers kept it close in the first half, leading by nine at one point, before trailing 53-52 at the break.
(© Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
