Grizzlies Exploit the Spurs Inside

To Memphis forward Pau Gasol, it really didn’t matter whether Tim Duncan played.

“I expect to do the same thing with Duncan in,” Gasol said after scoring 27 points against the Duncan-less San Antonio Spurs in a 94-88 victory Tuesday night at Memphis, Tenn. “Obviously, his presence has a big influence on the game, but I expect to do the same thing with or without him on the court.”

Gasol and the Grizzlies outscored the Spurs, 56-26, in the paint, the third-year player from Spain scoring 10 points during a fourth quarter in which the Spurs once led by four.

Gasol’s two free throws with eight seconds left provided the winning margin in the Grizzlies’ sixth consecutive victory. The loss ended a three-game winning streak for San Antonio, which hadn’t lost since March 1 -- also to Memphis.

Duncan sat out his sixth game because of a leg injury. While Memphis defeated the Spurs in three of four games this season, Duncan was injured for the last two and played only one quarter in another.

“[Duncan] is obviously the key for us,” Spur guard Manu Ginobili said. “He’s our best player, probably the best player in the league. So we probably could have done many things better.”

Tony Parker had 24 points for the Spurs, who matched a season high with 26 turnovers.

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Indiana 94, Toronto 84 -- Ron Artest held Vince Carter to one point in the fourth quarter, and the Pacers scored the first eight points of overtime at Indianapolis to win their sixth game in a row. Artest led Indiana with 23 points. Carter had 28 points for the Raptors.

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Boston 87, New York 84 -- Paul Pierce scored 23 points, including a tough jumper with 24 seconds left that turned out to be the game-winner, to help the visiting Celtics win their sixth in row. Allan Houston scored 23 for the Knicks, who had their three-game winning streak ended.

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Denver 117, Washington 87 -- Voshon Lenard scored 27 points as the Nuggets used a 16-2 third-quarter run to end a three-game losing streak and win for only the second time in 10 games. Gilbert Arenas had 23 points for the Wizards.

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Minnesota 105, Seattle 92 -- Latrell Sprewell ended a shooting slump to score 31 points at Seattle to help the Timberwolves end a two-game losing streak. Sprewell had averaged 10.2 points on 34% shooting in his previous 10 games. Kevin Garnett had 29 points and 10 rebounds for Minnesota. Ray Allen had 37 points for Seattle.

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Sacramento 96, Golden State 92 -- Doug Christie had 23 points at Sacramento on a night in which Chris Webber had only five points and missed 19 of 21 shots in his third game back from knee surgery. Erick Dampier had 26 points and 18 rebounds for Golden State.

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Miami 100, Orlando 89 -- Reserve Rasual Butler scored 14 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter at Miami in the Heat’s third straight victory. Tracy McGrady had 26 points for Orlando.

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Philadelphia 89, Chicago 81 -- Kenny Thomas had 22 points and 13 rebounds at Chicago to help the 76ers win their second in a row without injured Allen Iverson. Eddy Curry and Jamal Crawford had 18 points each for Chicago.

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Forward Kurt Thomas, 31, signed a multiyear contract extension with the New York Knicks.... Memphis Grizzly center Lorenzen Wright will sit out at least two weeks because of a sprained right knee, suffered last week against Portland.