Los Angeles Clippers’ Jamal Crawford (C) shoots between Timberwolves’ Nemanja Bjelica and Gorgui Dieng at Staples Center in Los Angeles. PICTURE: Rick Loomis/Los Angeles Times
The Sports Xchange/New York
Power forward Zach Randolph posted a double-double and point guard Mike Conley scored a game-high 20 points as the Memphis Grizzlies defeated Philadelphia 92-84 on Sunday, sending the 76ers to their 18th consecutive loss to start the season.
“Hats off to them. That can’t be an easy situation to be in. They kept fighting,” said Memphis coach David Joerger of Philadelphia.
The 76ers tied the NBA’s all-time mark for most losses to begin a season, set in 2009 by the New Jersey Nets. It was Philadelphia’s 28th consecutive defeat dating back to last season, the longest skid by a team in any major North American sport.
As has happened several times during the streak, the 76ers couldn’t hold a fourth-quarter lead. They went up 76-71 on a pair of free throws from guard Isaiah Canaan (team-high 16 points) at the 7:38 mark.
However, the Grizzlies (10-8) went on an 18-3 run to go up 89-79 as Jeff Green (13 points) hit a 3-pointer at the 2:22 mark.
After that, the 76ers never made it a one-possession game.
Randolph finished with 17 points and 11 rebounds, and Memphis center Marc Gasol had nine points and 12 rebounds.
Forward Matt Barnes chipped in 13 points, eight rebounds and five assists off the bench for the Grizzlies (10-8).
Memphis gave the 76ers extra opportunities by committing a season-high 26 turnovers, which Philadelphia converted into 28 points.
However, the 76ers, who average more turnovers than any team in the NBA, gave the ball away 27 times Sunday, leading to 25 Grizzlies points.
“There was a lot of pressure, guys wanted to compete and get after them and we did that. They scored 13 points in the first quarter. Our defense was very, very solid. We were nervous at halftime, it was very similar to Atlanta. We had forced 13 turnovers, they were 3-for-16 from the three-point line, and it was a two possession game,” Joerger said.
“It was really very scary and as coaches we don’t talk about that stuff with the players, but they’re going to make and they came out and hit seven threes in the third quarter. When you’re a team that puts them up like they do, you’re going to knock some down. So if they had cut their turnovers down and made a couple of threes, which is what they did in the third quarter, I think that scares all of us.”
Philadelphia center Jahlil Okafor just missed a double-double, ending up with nine points and 13 rebounds, and forward Robert Covington and Hollis Thompson each scored 12 points. Memphis shot 42 percent from the field and 30.8 percent from 3-point range (four of 13). The 76ers shot 39 percent from the floor and made 12 of 36 (33.3 percent) from long distance.
The Grizzlies were up 37-31 at halftime after leading by as many as 11 points. Randolph and Barnes led Memphis with seven first-half points, and Canaan and Covington each had six points for the 76ers before the break.
Griffin powers Clippers to win over Timberwolves
Forward Blake Griffin had 26 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, leading the Los Angeles Clippers to 107-99 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday.
Point guard Chris Paul scored 20 points and recorded nine assists as the Clippers (9-8) posted their 13th straight win over the Timberwolves. Guard J.J. Redick scored 12 of his 18 points in the second half.
Forward Andrew Wiggins scored 21 points, guard Zack LaVine added 18 points and seven assists and center Karl-Anthony Towns registered 17 points and eight rebounds for Minnesota (8-9), who had their season-high three game winning streak snapped.
Timberwolves guard Ricky Rubio sat out his second consecutive game with a sore left ankle.
Two free throws by Wiggins pulled Minnesota within 88-83 with 4:03 left in the contest, but a three-pointer by Redick, a baseline jumper by Paul and a three-point play by Griffin increased the margin to 96-83 with 2:42 remaining.
The Timberwolves started to intentionally foul Clippers center DeAndre Jordan, who converted three of eight free throws during the stretch and only three of 12 overall.
A turnaround jumper by forward Gorgui Dieng sliced the gap to 101-95 with 1:10 left, but Minnesota got no closer as Paul scored six points in the final minute.
