Conley, Jackson get Grizzlies past Pacers to end 8-game skid
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Mike Conley had 22 points and 11 assists, Jaren Jackson Jr. added 20 and the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Indiana Pacers 106-103 Saturday night to end an eight-game losing streak.
Marc Gasol added 18 points for Memphis, which had lost 14 of its last 15 games since the day after Christmas. Justin Holiday finished with 16 points and Bruno Caboclo, playing his second game on a 10-day contract, added 11 points, including converting 3 of 4 from outside the arc.
Bojan Bogdanovic scored 21 points to lead the Pacers, who snapped a three-game winning streak in their first game since a season-ending injury to Victory Oladipo. Darren Collison had 18 points and nine assists, while Myles Turner scored 14 points.
Oladipo ruptured the quad tendon in his right knee in Wednesday night’s victory over Toronto, leaving the Pacers without their leading scorer at 18.8 points a game.
Indiana struggled from the field in the first half, managing only 38 percent, including 1 of 9 from outside the arc. Eleven turnovers only added to the Pacers’ problems.
Indiana finished the night shooting 43 percent from the field and committed 18 turnovers, leading to 20 Memphis points.
In the closing minutes of the fourth, both teams were accurate from outside the arc — Memphis converting four in the period to build the lead to 14, and Indiana making five close the deficit at the end.
With Jackson scoring 13 points and Conley adding 12 along with seven assists, Memphis held a 53-42 lead at halftime — the 11-point margin matching the Grizzlies largest advantage at that point.
Tyreke Evans went to work on rookie guard Jevon Carter in the third with some success, then Turner registered a couple of baskets — the second one a hammer dunk — pulled the Pacers even at 67.
But the Grizzlies closed the quarter with a 12-2 rally to carry a 78-69 lead into the fourth.
TIP-INS
Pacers: Evans started in the injured Oladipo’s place and finished with nine points. G Aaron Holiday moved into the reserve guard position vacated by Evans moving to the starting lineup. … Bogdanovic was 6 of 14 from the field. … Turner blocked two shots.
Grizzlies: Starting F Garrett Temple is out 1-2 weeks after injuring his shoulder late in the first quarter of Friday night’s loss to Sacramento. An examination of the injury revealed a mild sprain. … F Omri Casspi, who filled in after Temple’s injury and led the team in scoring against the Kings with 18 points, also sat out Saturday with right knee soreness. That left rookie G Jevon Carter to get the first start of his career. … With the rash of injuries, Caboclo played just under 29 minutes.
UP NEXT
Pacers: Host Golden State on Monday night.
Grizzlies: Host Denver on Monday night.