Raptors take advantage of sick Grizzlies

TORONTO — The Memphis Grizzlies are not accustomed to losing.

But they also are not used to playing without five players — including two starters — as they did on Wednesday night when a stomach virus hit the team.

But center Marc Gasol would not use the depleted roster as an excuse for the 96-92 loss to the Toronto Raptors, only the Grizzlies second of the season against 10 wins.

“I don’t see the difference,” said Gasol who had 22 points and 12 rebounds. “I think that everybody’s a professional, and the ones that aren’t playing, I think everybody wants to play bad enough where that should not [have an] effect. … One game, or even two of five games, I think anybody can do it. That’s our nature.”

The Grizzlies had the lead at 92-90 with 2:29 to play before Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan, who finished with 21 points, tied the game with a pull-up jumper.

Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry scored on a driving layup with 1:38 to play. After Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph missed a 12-foot jumper, Lowry made a fade-away jumper with 8.9 seconds left to complete the scoring.

“On the other hand, we lost, we did not execute the way we should,” Gasol said. “I can live with missing shots … but not to give yourself a good chance to get the shot you want that’s not the way we play.”

The Raptors (9-2) outscored the Grizzlies 27-17 in the fourth quarter in which forward Terrence Ross scored 14 of his 16 points. The Grizzlies outrebounded the Raptors 50-35 with Randolph grabbing 18 of them to go with 18 points.

Raptors coach Dwane Casey gave reserve forward Chuck Hayes credit for helping to slow down Gasol late in the game.

“He know who he is, he’s one of the better big-man defenders in the league,” Casey said. “He does a great job and he was our MVP tonight. He slowed down Gasol and stopped him.”

The Grizzlies were without five players who were stricken by a stomach virus and were being chartered back to Memphis. Two of them were starters — guard Courtney Lee and forward Tony Allen.

“We played and competed and gave ourselves an opportunity to win,” Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger said. “They made some great shots. Their athletes on the wings broke us down too many times and got in the paint. They got the balls that were bouncing on the floor and we didn’t execute a lot at the end of the game, which we take a lot of pride in.”

Guard Lou Williams added 13 points for Toronto and center Jonas Valanciunas had10.

Guard Mike Conley added 19 points for Memphis and forward Tayshaun Prince had 15 points.

“I think my teammates and my coaches can always depend on me to make the play at the end of the game,” Lowry said. “That’s how it goes. On the first one DeMar [DeRozan] made a great pass and I got to the lane and he gave me a driving lane on the second and I just made the shot.”

Gasol hit two free throws with 5:19 to play in the third quarter to put the Grizzlies ahead by 10. The lead was quickly down to one when the Raptors ran off nine points in a row capped by a 3-pointer by Williams with just under four minutes left in the third quarter. The Grizzlies came back to lead 75-69 after three quarters.

Conley put the Grizzlies ahead 84-83 and came back to make two free throws for an 86-83 lead with 5:17 left in the game. Prince added two more foul shots to bump the lead to five points.

Ross hit a 3-pointer to cut the lead to two and Lowry tied it with a layup just under three minutes to go. The teams exchanged baskets before Gasol went to the line with 1:53 to play and missed both free throws. Then Lowry took over for the Raptors.

The Raptors raced to a 9-0 lead but needed a 3-pointer at the buzzer by guard Greivis Vasquez to lead 22-20 after the first quarter.

Former Raptors guard Vince Carter, who was moved to tears by a first-quarter ovation during a video tribute, hit a 3-pointer with one minute left in the second quarter to give the Grizzlies an eight-point lead. Memphis led 48-42 at the half.

NOTES: Five Grizzlies were out due to a stomach virus: G/F Tony Allen, G Courtney Lee, G Beno Udrih, F Jon Leuer and C Kosta Koufos. … The Grizzlies re-signed G Kalin Lucas and C Hassan Whiteside on Wednesday, and they were available. … Grizzlies G Vince Carter received a video tribute during the first quarter as part of their 20th anniversary celebrations. Carter is the Raptors’ second-leading all-time scorer with 9,420 points. … Raptors F James Johnson (right ankle sprain) is out indefinitely after being injured stepping on a camerawoman’s leg while pursuing the ball in the fourth quarter Saturday. … Memphis G Mike Conley (sore shoulder) started Wednesday despite coming out of the win over Houston on Monday in the third quarter. … The Grizzlies return home for a Friday game against the Boston Celtics. … The Raptors play host to the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday.