NBA Roundup: Memphis Grizzlies and Dallas Mavericks win – (Part 4)
Memphis Grizzlies 104 – Minnesota Timberwolves 95
Kevin Love, the sensational post scoring and rebounding prodigy of the Minnesota Timberwolves, tallied his 44th straight double-double on Wednesday night to match Moses Malone's streak during the 1982-83 season.
He had no other reason to be happy on the night though, as the Memphis Grizzlies brushed aside his team 105-94 at the Target Centre in Minneapolis.
Zach Randolph bounced back from a poor performance against the Denver Nuggets in the last game, to lead the Grizzlies with 24 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. Guard Mike Conley had 22 points and nine assists, while Tony Allen and Sam Young combined
for 16 apiece, as the Grizzlies roped in their 13th win in the last 16 games.
After being totally outscored by the Grizzlies in the first half, the Timberwolves started to gain some offensive pace in the third quarter. They continued to carve out the Memphis defence until early in the fourth and a 10-2 run pulled them within three
points at 81-78. This run was capped by back-to-back three pointers from Wayne Ellington, who led Minnesota in scoring with 16 points.
Memphis however, answered viciously with a 15-6 spurt, extending their lead to 12. They then fired decisively from the charity stripe down the stretch to secure the victory.
Utah Jazz 99 – Dallas Mavericks 118
Playing their first game in the post Deron Williams era, the struggling Utah Jazz took on the red hot Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night. Having won 14 of their last 15 games, the Mavericks led by veteran sharp-shooter Dirk Nowitzki rolled over the Jazz,
out-scoring them in the last three quarters of the game to script a 118-99 blow-out win.
Seven Dallas players scored in double figures. Dirk Nowitzki had 23 points and seven rebounds to lead the assault. Peja Stojakovic hit four three-pointers and finished with 18 points. Shawn Marion contributed 16 points, while Brendan Haywood came off the
bench to score a double-double with 12 points and 10 boards for the Mavericks, who stretched their winning streak to four games.
The Mavs were playing their first game in five nights and the rust was evident in their ranks in the first 12 minutes. They committed eight turnovers in the first 10 minutes of play as the Jazz carried a 26-23 lead into the second.
The Mavericks however, clamped down the angles for the Utah offence in the second quarter, forcing them out of their comfort zone. Their confidence at the back end of the court soon caught up with their offensive skills, as they closed the second quarter
with an 11-4 spurt to take a 59-55 half time advantage.
The Mavs never looked back after that, finishing the game with a brilliant shooting rate of 58 percent from the field and 50.0 percent from downtown.
Al Jefferson top-scored for the Jazz with 30 points, Paul Millsap chipped in with 18 while Andrei Kirilenko finished with 17 for the Jazz, who will have to snap a five-game losing streak as they revamp their lineup.
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