National Basketball Association
BOXSCORE | RECAP
Memphis 108, New Orleans 99
When: 8:00 PM ET, Saturday, January 14, 2012
Where: FedExForum, Memphis, Tennessee
Officials: #72 Kevin Cutler, #35 Kane Fitzgerald, #41 Ken Mauer
Attendance: 14983

Marc Gasol scored 20 points and added 11 rebounds as the Memphis Grizzlies earned their second straight victory, fending off the visiting New Orleans Hornets 108-99 Saturday night.

Gasol's first-quarter scoring spree kept his team in the game, and the rest of the lineup took over from there as the Grizzlies won for the fifth time in the past seven meetings between the clubs.

Memphis grew a 10-point halftime lead to 15 on a Dante Cunningham layup with just under four minutes remaining in the third quarter. The Hornets finished the quarter with a flourish - scoring 10 points in the final 2:08 - but still trailed 86-75 entering the fourth.

Unheralded rookie Gustavo Ayon led the Hornets back, scoring five straight points to cut the deficit to 86-82. Back-to-back jumpers from Jason Smith made it a two-point game, but Memphis fought off repeated challenges before a Rudy Gay 3-pointer put the Grizzlies up 105-95 with 2:15 remaining.

Gay led Memphis with 23 points while Mike Conley added 17 points and seven assists.

Jarrett Jack paced the Hornets with 23 points.

Gasol erupted for 11 points and four rebounds in the opening quarter, but his teammates shot just 4-for-15 over the opening 12 minutes as the Grizzlies trailed 24-20 after one. He was given a little more help in the second quarter, as O.J. Mayo and Gay combined for 13 points - capped by a long Gay 3-pointer in the final minute - to lead the Grizzlies into the break ahead 57-47.
Top Game Performances
 
New Orleans   Memphis
Jarrett Jack 23 Scoring Rudy Gay 23
Greivis Vasquez 6 Assists Mike Conley 7
Jason Smith 10 Rebounds Marc Gasol 11
Jarrett Jack 6 Free Throws Made Tony Allen 8
Gustavo Ayon 1 Steals Mike Conley 2
Jason Smith 3 Blocks Marc Gasol 2
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
New Orleans 99 46.7 4-10 25-31 19 43 8 5 17
Memphis 108 44.9 5-10 33-41 16 40 5 7 9
Upcoming Games
  • Memphis will play their next game at home against Chicago. The Grizzlies have a W/L % of .500 after a win and .429 after a loss.
  • New Orleans will play their next game at home against Portland. The Hornets have a W/L % of .500 after a win and .125 after a loss.