Grizzlies beat Trail Blazers 93-89

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Rudy Gay scored 21 points and had a key block in the final seconds as the Memphis Grizzlies won their fourth straight, 93-89 over the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday night.

Gay, who was 9 of 16 from the field, blocked Wesley Matthews' 3-point attempt with about 5 seconds left to seal the win and send the short-handed Trail Blazers to their fifth straight loss.

O.J. Mayo scored 14 points for Memphis and Marreese Speights had 13 with Marc Gasol and Dante Cunningham both adding 12.

J.J. Hickson scored 23 points to lead Portland, while Jamal Crawford had 21 despite going 5 of 13 from the field, part of the Trail Blazers' 37 percent shooting for the game. Matthews had 16 points and Luke Babbitt added 10.

The win kept Memphis' hopes alive to try to reach the fourth seed in the Western Conference. The Grizzlies moved within a half-game of the idle Los Angeles Clippers, who hold the fourth spot.

Memphis dominated inside holding a 58-32 advantage in the paint, and seemed in control until a final Portland burst late in the fourth quarter.

Hickson scored seven early points in the fourth, part of a 10-2 run that pulled Portland within 83-77 with about 7 minutes left.

Memphis coach Lionel Hollins responded by putting his starters back in the game. The Grizzlies rebuilt the lead to double digits as Gay scored inside and Gasol had two baskets.

Still, the Trail Blazers pushed back with 10 straight points and trailed 91-89 with 10.1 seconds left and they the ball.

But Matthews' 3-point attempt with about 5 seconds left was blocked by Gay. Mayo hit two free throws with 3.2 seconds left.

Memphis led 54-45 at halftime, bolstered by Mayo's nine points in the second quarter. The Grizzlies outscored Portland 30-18 in the period, erasing an early deficit.

Gay's 3-pointer with 24 seconds left gave Memphis the only double-digit lead of the half.

Memphis connected on its first five shots in the game, but managed to shoot 49 percent in the half. The Blazers, meanwhile, were at 38 percent. Seven turnovers, leading to 10 Memphis points, also hindered Portland, while Memphis committed three miscues.

Portland would end the night with 15 turnovers compared to 10 for Memphis.

Notes: C Hasheem Thabeet, the second overall pick in the 2009 draft by the Grizzlies, started for Portland, his second start of the season. . Portland, facing all kinds of injury problems, dressed only nine players. . The Trail Blazers entered the game with a three-game winning streak in the series. . Memphis F Zach Randolph did not play. Asked about it before the game, Randolph said "rest."