The Memphis Grizzlies will put the longest current winning streak in the Western Conference on the line Wednesday when they visit the Utah Jazz at EnergySolutions Arena.
The Grizzlies have won seven straight, which is the second-longest run in the league behind the Cleveland Cavaliers (11). Memphis has won four consecutive road games and will finish this road trip on Friday against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
On Monday, the Grizzlies began their trek with a 102-101 win over the Phoenix Suns.
Jeff Green's three-point play with 4.5 seconds remaining put the Grizzlies ahead, and Marc Gasol's block just before the buzzer sealed Memphis' hard- fought win.
Down seven with under two minutes to play, Memphis scored the final eight points, including Green's leaner in the lane off an offensive rebound while being fouled by Eric Bledsoe. Green made the ensuing free throw to break a 101-101 tie, and Gasol got a piece of Markieff Morris' elbow jumper to cap the Grizzlies' seventh straight win.
"We stuck with it and kept fighting," Gasol said.
Mike Conley scored 23 points, Zach Randolph chipped in with 19 points and nine rebounds, and Gasol finished with 15 points, eight assists, six boards and three blocks for the victors.
The Grizzlies owned a 46-38 rebounding advantage and doubled-up Phoenix's second-chance points (22-11) and outscored Phoenix at the foul line, 27-11.
The Jazz have lost three of their last four and are 2-2 in their last four at home.
Utah hit the road on Tuesday and fell to the Portland Trail Blazers, 103-102.
Gordon Hayward and Derrick Favors led the Jazz with 27 and 20 points, respectively. Trey Burke chipped in 18 off the bench and Enes Kanter managed 16. Rudy Gobert grabbed 15 rebounds.
Utah was coming off a surprising win against the NBA-best Warriors over the weekend and stayed competitive against the Northwest Division leaders most of the night.
Damian Lillard threw down a tomahawk dunk over the 7-foot-2 Gobert early in the fourth quarter, but it stayed tight even though the Blazers rattled off eight straight points later in the frame.
Joe Ingles buried a 3-pointer with 9.7 seconds remaining but LaMarcus Aldridge converted two key free throws to climb four clear. Burke's late 3 became moot.
"We competed...and fought the entire game," Hayward said. "Little bit more and there and we would have come out with a win."
The Jazz took the first meeting this season with a six-point win in Memphis on Dec. 22. That ended a four-game series losing streak, but the Grizzlies have taken two of the last three in Salt Lake City.
[SportsNetwork.com]
