Grizzlies 103, 76ers 100
PHILADELPHIA -- Rudy Gay put Memphis ahead to stay on a follow shot with 13.9 seconds left Monday night and the Grizzlies went on to beat Philadelphia 76ers 103-100.
Gay, who finished with 26 points, rebounded a miss by teammate Jerryd Bayless in traffic and scored from point-blank range as the Grizzlies (29-15) won for the third time in four games.
Marc Gasol led Memphis with a season-high 27 points and Bayless, filling in for injured Mike Conley (ankle) at point guard, had a season-high 21.
Evan Turner scored a season-high 27 points and Thaddeus Young added 23 for the Sixers (17-26), who after assuming a 100-97 lead with 3:04 left did not score again.
Jrue Holiday chipped in 18 points and 10 assists for Philadelphia, which was seeking to win consecutive games for the first time since late November.
The Sixers, trailing 90-85 early in the fourth quarter, outscored Memphis 15-7 over the next 6:25 to claim that 100-97 lead on Holiday's jumper.
But a tip-in with 59 seconds left by Zach Randolph, who was limited to four points, cut the gap to one. After a Nick Young miss, Bayless found himself isolated on the left wing against Sixers center Spencer Hawes. His jumper was off the mark, but Gay grabbed the rebound and scored.
Gay added two free throws with 1.2 sseconds left and Gasol blocked a 3-point attempt by Nick Young at the buzzer to seal the game.
The Grizzlies erased an early 32-15 deficit to take a 57-54 halftime lead as Bayless scored 19 points -- five more than his previous season high -- and Gasol added 14.
Thaddeus Young had 13 points and Holiday contributed 12 points and seven assists in the first half for the Sixers, who in taking a 33-20 lead after a quarter enjoyed their highest-scoring first period of the season.
Turner scored 14 points in the third quarter, eight in the last 2:24, as the Sixers forged a 79-79 tie.
NOTES: Sixers center Andrew Bynum, who has yet to play this season because of bone bruises to both knees, said before the game he hopes to return to action right after the All-Star break. General manager Tony DiLeo said Bynum probably would begin practicing the first week of February, but Bynum was less certain, saying a decision would be left up to his doctors. ... Grizzlies guard/forward Quincy Pondexter missed his 17th consecutive game with a sprained knee. ... The Sixers signed guard Shelvin Mack to a second 10-day contract. ... Sixers guard Jason Richardson missed his fourth straight game with a sore left knee. ... Memphis coach Lionel Hollins and Philadelphia coach Doug Collins were teammates on the 1980-81 Sixers. Hollins spent three years with the 76ers, ending in '81-82.
