Memphis Grizzlies lose to Hornets in overtime, 103-102
At different times for both teams the game called for someone or a sequence to provide a clutch moment that would determine the outcome.
The New Orleans Hornets discovered little-used reserve guard Marcus Thornton.
Grizzlies vs. Rockets
When, where: 7 p.m. Friday, FedExForum
TV, radio: SportSouth, WRBO-FM 103.5
The Grizzlies just found a way to lose.
Holding the ball and a one-point lead with 14 seconds remaining, the Griz threw away a chance at grabbing an impressive road win when Mike Conley's inbounds was tipped and stolen, leading to Thornton's fast-break layup that gave the Hornets a 103-102 overtime victory Wednesday night in New Orleans Arena.
The Grizzlies' second straight loss became final after Rudy Gay's shot bounced off the rim at the buzzer.
"That was our game," Griz coach Lionel Hollins said. "All we have to do is get (the ball) in and they foul. If we couldn't get it in, call timeout. We had two timeouts left. Instead of throwing the ball to the other team, we should throw it to our team."
Memphis (19-23) led 102-101 when Conley attempted to inbounds the ball. He tried to hit O.J. Mayo along the baseline. Thornton, however, tipped Conley's pass and Trevor Ariza retrieved the loose ball for the Hornets.
Thornton, who finished with 17 points in 22 minutes, scored the game-winner with 6.6 seconds left in the extra session.
"They defended it well. They took all the options away," Conley said of the inbounds play. "I just made a poor decision."
Asked if he considered calling a timeout, Conley said he believed there was a clear passing lane.
"I saw (Mayo) get open," Conley said. "I thought I could get the pass to him. I should have just held it and called a timeout."
Thornton's deflection accounted for the Grizzlies' 14th turnover of the game. Memphis turned the ball over eight times in the fourth quarter and overtime.
"Sometimes what's happening on the floor isn't what we've taught," Hornets coach Monty Williams said. "It's desire. It's effort. It's a commitment to getting a stop. That's what that was. We didn't draw that up."
Just as important for the Hornets was Chris Paul's 3-pointer that cut the Grizzlies' four-point lead to 102-101 with 20 seconds left. Conley and Zach Randolph didn't aggressively defend the Hornets' pick-and-roll, and left Paul wide open at the top of the key.
Paul finished with 20 points and 12 assists after a slow start.
Gay and Conley each tossed in 22 points to lead the Griz. Randolph (17 points, 10 rebounds) and Marc Gasol (12 points, 10 rebounds) added double-doubles.
Conley's late-game lapse spoiled his first 20-point game since Dec. 1, and first double-digit scoring night in four games.
Memphis fell to 0-6 all-time in overtime games against New Orleans, which won its sixth straight game.
The Hornets own the NBA's stingiest defense, and their effort without the ball was on full display in the second half. Regulation ended with the score knotted at 92 after Conley had the ball stripped at the buzzer.
The Griz blew a 15-point, third-quarter lead by shooting 35 percent in the period. After starting the period making 6-of-10 shots, the Griz missed eight straight field goals -- many at the rim -- and turned the ball over three times while the Hornets stormed back.
"This game changed in the second half when they came out early and got after us," Hollins said. "They came right out and went from nine points down to tie the game. We were up nine at halftime, and they just came back."
The score was tied at 67 when the fourth quarter began. Memphis led 81-73 with 8:15 left. But it was a game in which the Griz had trouble holding leads. The Hornets scored nine unanswered points, and briefly led 82-81.
"It's definitely a game we should have won," Randolph said. "We don't know how to finish. We don't know how to win games. This game hurts, especially turning the ball over at the times we did."
