Zach Randolph scored 30 points to lead the host Memphis Grizzlies past the Toronto Raptors 115-107 at FedEx Forum on Friday night.
Marc Gasol added 19, O.J. Mayo 18 and Rudy Gay 17 for the Grizzlies [1-1], who on Wednesday suffered the largest margin of defeat at a home opener with a 96-74 loss to the Detroit Pistons.
Chris Bosh led the Raptors [1-1] with 37 points and 12 rebounds including 25 in the first half. Jose Calderon and Hedo Turkoglu chipped in with 15 and 14, respectively, in the losing effort.
Toronto ended the third with a 79-76 lead and went on a 9-4 run to start the fourth before a timeout by Grizzlies head coach Lionel Hollins less than two minutes in.
The brief break seemed to do Memphis some good, as they went on an 8-0 run, capped by a Mike Conley layup at 8:11.
Both clubs continued to exchange baskets until Mayo’s three-pointer at 2:43 gave the Grizzlies a 103-98 lead.
Calderon would nail a three-pointer himself at 1:30 but Mayo sealed the win with a jumper with 47 seconds remaining.
Bargnani puts Raps ahead in third
It was a tale of two halves for Andrea Bargnani, as he recorded no points in the game’s opening 24 minutes.
But at the start of the third, Bargnani, coming off a 28-point performance in the team’s 101-91 season opening victory against the Cleveland Cavaliers, responded with 12 of the team’s first 19 points.
That included two consecutive three pointers just before the midway point of the quarter to give the Raptors a 68-63 lead.
Bosh gets Raps back into game after slow start
After getting out to an 8-4 lead, the Raptors missed their next seven shots, allowing the Grizzlies to go on a 12-1 run.
Toronto did not score for the next 4:42 before a Calderon lay-up at 3:21.
Bosh then led the Raptors on an 11-7 run, scoring six points in the quarter’s final 2:25 to cut the Grizzlies’ lead to 23-22.
The Raptor’s all-star power forward started the second quarter much like he ended the first, completing his first five shots, including a 25-foot three pointer and a 10-foot jumper at 8:10 to put Toronto up 35-29.
But the youthful Grizzlies continued to persevere, as point guard Marcus Wlliams scored six points as part of a 12-5 Memphis run, netting a jumper at 5:11 for the 41-40 lead.
Randolph and swingman DeMarre Carroll then scored four points apiece to lead the Grizzlies to a 53-49 lead at the break.
Giveaways were also a major problem for the Raptors in the first half as they turned the ball over nine times.
Notes: Allen Iverson did not play for the Grizzlies as he is still recovering from a left hamstring injury sustained in the pre-season … The Raptors will head back home for a Sunday matinee with the Orlando Magic, while the Grizzlies will begin a five-game road trip, travelling to the Pepsi Center on Sunday to take on the Denver Nuggets.