Grizzlies put home winning streak on the line vs. Spurs
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}(SportsNetwork.com) - The Memphis Grizzlies no longer have the best record in the NBA, but they are still dangerous at home.
The Grizzlies will put their 22-game regular season home winning streak to the test Friday versus the defending champion San Antonio Spurs.
Memphis had won five in a row and nine of its last 10 games until Wednesday's 105-96 loss to the Houston Rockets in the finale of a four-game road trip. The Rockets led for the final 38 minutes of the game and by as many as 27 points in the second half.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Houston recorded 30 points on 21 Memphis turnovers and had a 36-22 scoring advantage in the third quarter. It didn't matter Memphis shot 51.3 percent and scored 28 of the 39 points in the fourth quarter.
The Grizzlies couldn't overcome the tall deficit like they did against Sacramento on Nov. 13, when they battled back from 26 points down. It was the largest come-from-behind win in franchise history.
Mike Conley had 15 points, Jarnell Stokes added 12 off the bench and Tony Allen rounded out the double-digit scorers with 10 points. Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol weren't much of a factor even with Rockets center Dwight Howard sidelined with a balky knee. Randolph and Gasol each scored eight points, and combined for 13 rebounds.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"There's not a lot to do about the numbers. That's the story," said Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger. "They were more aggressive and more athletic. They wanted it more and played with a lot of effort. There were not a lot of X's and O's."
The Grizzlies still lead the Southwest with a 15-3 record and haven't lost at home in the regular season since Feb. 5 versus Dallas. Memphis had won its first 11 games against Western Conference foes until losing at Houston.
Memphis, which is second in opponents' scoring at 93.0 ppg, will also host Miami, Dallas and Charlotte on this homestand. It is 8-0 at FedExForum.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}San Antonio will close out a four-game road trip (2-1) Friday and hopes to rebound from Wednesday's 95-93 overtime loss to the Brooklyn Nets.
The Spurs didn't record a field goal in overtime until Danny Green hit a right corner 3-pointer with 1:38 left, pulling the defending champions within 95-93. Manu Ginobili missed a pair of potentially go-ahead 3-pointers in the final 1:06, including one in the last five seconds to seal the outcome.
"We fought. We battled. Learn from it, move forward and fix the mistakes we made," said Green, who had 20 points and 10 rebounds.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Green made 6-of-11 from beyond the arc, while Ginobili scored 15 points and Tim Duncan returned to the floor with 14 points and 17 boards. Duncan rested against Philadelphia on Monday and so did Tony Parker (ribs). Parker was back in Brooklyn and ended with nine points and six assists.
San Antonio had its eight-game winning streak stopped and is 7-4 outside the Alamo City. The Spurs will host Minnesota on Saturday before hitting the road again to Utah on Tuesday.
Friday's matchup between the Spurs and Grizzlies features two of the stingiest defenses in the NBA. The Spurs are third in opponents' scoring at 93.2 points.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Spurs and Grizzlies will play the first of four meetings this season, and San Antonio took all four matchups in 2013-14. The Spurs are 10-2 in the past 12 games against the Grizzlies and have won the last two trips to Memphis.
San Antonio leads the all-time series with Memphis, 57-18.
Kawhi Leonard averaged 17.3 points and Ginobili 15.5 points against the Grizzlies last season. Conley led Memphis with 22.5 ppg.