Gasol’s last-second free throws lead Grizzlies past Spurs

(Field Level media) Marc Gasol converted the game-tying and winning free throws with 0.7 seconds to play as part of his 20point, 10-rebound performance, and Mike Conley poured in 30 points as the visiting Memphis Grizzlies outlasted the San Antonio Spurs 104-103 yesterday.

The lead see-sawed over the final 3 1/2 minutes until San Antonio’s DeMar DeRozan canned a contested jumper over Conley with 1.2 seconds remaining.

After a timeout, Memphis got the ball to Gasol, who was fouled by San Antonio’s Rudy Gay with 0.7 seconds to play and calmly made the free throws.

JaMychal Green added 12 points off the bench for Memphis, which has won five games in a row and seven of its last eight out. Omri Casspi added 11 more off the bench.

DeRozan led the Spurs with 24 points, with Gay adding 21, LaMarcus Aldridge scoring 19 and taking 11 rebounds and Patty Mills scoring 15 points off the bench for San Antonio, which has lost five of its last six games.

The Grizzlies led by as many as 10 points in the first quarter, at 22-12 with 4:50 to play, before San Antonio bounced back, forging a 14-3 run to take a 26-25 advantage at the 1:30 mark on Jakob Poeltl’s layup.

Two free throws by Mills with 33.8 remaining in the period gave the Spurs a 32-30 lead after 12 minutes of play.

A jumper by Casspi with 6:15 to play in the second quarter capped a surge that gave Memphis a 45-40 lead. A 3-pointer from Mills at the 2:21 mark tied the game at 57, but the Grizzlies led 61-59 at intermission.