Randolph leads Grizzlies to win

Associated Press

MEMPHIS, Tenn.

Zach Randolph had 23 points and 14 rebounds, and the Memphis Grizzlies used a big second half to defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 110-96 Saturday night.

Randolph had 17 points in the second half to help Memphis outscore Cleveland 56-31 and rally from an early 15-point deficit to win its fifth straight at home. Mike Conley and Marc Gasol scored 22 each for the Grizzlies. Conley added seven assists and Gasol had six.

Courtney Lee finished with 19 points and Tony Allen had 16 on 7-of-10 shooting.

Kyrie Irving led the Cavaliers with 28 points on 11-of-19 shooting, while Tristan Thompson was 8 of 10 for 18 points. Spencer Hawes had 13 points and Luol Deng 11.

Memphis took control with a big third quarter and led by 91-83 with 8:56 left in the fourth.

The Cavaliers used six straight points from Irving to pull within 95-94 with 4:03 left. But a baseline 8-footer by Randolph and a 3-pointer from Conley restored Memphis’ cushion. By the time Gasol scored on a hook shot with 1:13 left the Grizzlies’ lead was in double digits.

The Cavaliers dominated the first half, leading by as many as 15 points and taking a 65-54 lead into the break. The Grizzlies provided little resistance and Cleveland shot just under 70 percent for much of the half before going to the locker room at 61 percent, including connecting on 4 of 9 from outside the arc.

That included 6 of 7 from the field by Thompson, who led Cleveland with 14 points. Irving had 13, while Hawes provided long-range offense, connecting on all 3 of his 3-pointers in his 11 first-half points.