Raptors send Grizzlies to 3rd straight loss

The Grizzlies were bitten once again by a late-game fade.

In Tuesday’s 122-114 loss to the Toronto Raptors, owners of the NBA’s best record (18-4), Memphis squandered another double-digit, second-half lead.

In its third consecutive loss, Memphis (12-8) carried a 71-59 lead into the second half, only to have it slip away late thanks to a spate a cold shooting that featured just 5 points in the final 3.5 minutes. Toronto countered by scorching the nets late in the game, highlighted by 7-of-12 shooting from beyond the arc.

The Raptors tied things up at 105-105 with 6:48 left in the game on Fred VanVleet’s triple, then took the lead for good when former Grizzly Kyle Lowry buried a 3 with 4:35 to play.

“They do a good job of putting people in position to create those shots,” Memphis coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “They spread you out. They’re five out most of the time, then they have guys who can penetrate.” Gasol OK?

The Memphis stalwart came up lame in the fourth quarter, grimacing on his way up the floor between an offensive and defensive possession.

When the Grizzlies got the ball back, Bickerstaff called timeout. Gasol hobbled toward the home goal and slapped the padding underneath the backboard before walking gingerly to the bench favoring his left ankle.

The 33-year-old did not miss any minutes as a result of the injury that occurred when he inadvertently stepped on Kawhi Leonard’s foot.

“It’s sore right now,” Gasol said shortly after the game. “But I’ll be OK. I stepped on a foot and it rolled to the outside. “Those things, right away, they’re pretty uncomfortable. We got treatment all over it now and we’ll do a little bit more after the shower, then we’ll do a lot more (Wednesday).” Best half of the season? Close. For the second time in the team’s first 20 games, Memphis eclipsed the 70point mark in one half, leading Toronto 71-59 at halftime. The Grizzlies did so by shooting 58.7 percent from the field and hitting a perfect 13-for-13 at the free throw line.

The Grizzlies spread the wealth, too. Four players scored in double-figures, led by Marc Gasol’s 15 points, and six players had at least 9 points.

For the game, Gasol led all scorers with 27 points. He was one of seven Grizzlies to finish with more than 10.

In the team’s home opener, it put up 77 points against the Atlanta Hawks in the first half. Ugly start

The first half as a whole was in drastic contrast to how things went earlier at FedExForum.

The Raptors came out firing and ran up an 8-0 advantage before the Grizzlies could blink.

Making matters worse, rookie Jaren Jackson Jr. picked up two fouls before the game was a minute old. He finished with five fouls after being whistled for two more in a 19-second span in the fourth quarter. Up next

The Grizzlies have a road date with the Brooklyn Nets (8-13) at 6:30 p.m. Friday.