Zach Randolph used his size and leverage to frustrate the New Orleans Pelicans in the paint. Jeff Green scored from all over the court.
Combine that with Mike Conley's calming presence in fourth quarter and veteran Vince Carter's knack for hitting big shots, and it can be too much for many opponents to withstand.
Randolph had 22 points and 12 rebounds, Conley's shooting and play-making fueled a dominant final seven minutes, and Memphis beat New Orleans 110-95 on Monday night, marking the Grizzlies' 10th victory in 12 games.
"We have a lot of guys really contributing to what we're doing," said Carter, who highlighted a 13-point performance with a pair of back-breaking 3s in the last three minutes. "Guys are just playing hard and letting it all hang out for the good of the team."
Green scored 24 points for Memphis, which closed the game on a 26-9 run to quickly turn a tight contest into a comfortable victory.
Anthony Davis and Norris Cole each scored 23 points for the Pelicans, who lost for just the third time in 10 games, with two of those losses coming against Memphis.
"They made big plays," Davis said. "We missed shots we normally make."
New Orleans led 86-84 after Ryan Anderson's free throw with 7:02 left. But the Grizzlies responded with a 10-0 run to take the lead for good, closing the game on a 26-9 run.
Memphis coach Dave Joerger credited Conley, who had 17 points and 10 assists, for giving his teammates a quick pep talk before their pivotal surge.
"We were at the time in the game where guys were getting a little frustrated," Conley recalled. "I just wanted everybody to realize: `Hey, there's a lot of time left. We're going to get this thing figured out. Just calm down."
Conley started the surge with a 3 and two free throws. Carter followed with the first of his three 3s and Marc Gasol added a dunk on his way to 14 points.
Memphis finished 9 for 16 from 3-point range.
"If they're shooting it well from the perimeter, and with the inside game they have, they're a difficult team," Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said. -- Brett Martel/AP
Up Next
The Grizzlies road trip continues on Friday against the Knicks at 6:30pm. Watch the game live starting with the Grizzlies Live! pregame show at 6pm on FOX Sports Southeast.
Key Stat of the Night
- Memphis outscored New Orleans in the paint, 50-32, and a big reason for that was the burly Randolph, who caused havoc for New Orleans on both ends and got the best of the taller, quicker Davis several times.
Key Runs of the Night
- Jeff Green, who scored 10 of his points in the second period, helped the Grizzlies erase a 34-22 deficit. His second 3 of the quarter gave the Grizzlies a 50-47 lead in the second quarter.
- New Orleans led 86-84 after Ryan Anderson's free throw with 7:02 left. But the Grizzlies responded with a 10-0 run to take the lead for good, closing the game on a 26-9 run.
Quotes
Player Notes
- Grizzlies Forward Matt Barnes was held out with what Joerger described as a mild right hamstring pull. The decision gives him five days' rest until Memphis' next game.
- Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday, who hit a game-winning shot against Brooklyn on Saturday night, uncharacteristically struggled to find his shooting touch against Memphis. He made only one of 14 shots and also missed two of four free throws.
- New Orleans forward Ryan Anderson, who scored 22 or more points in his previous four games, had nine points on 3-of-9 shooting.
Next Game
The Grizzlies road trip continues on Friday against the Knicks at 6:30pm. Watch the game live starting with the Grizzlies Live! pregame show at 6pm on FOX Sports Southeast.
Next Home Game
The Grizzlies will return home on Saturday, February 6 to face the Dallas Mavericks at 7PM.