Point guard Conley giving Griz a calming influence

O.J. Mayo is on a tear shooting the

Conley finished with 14 points on 7of-9 shooting to go with 11 assists and four steals.

“Mike’s been superb,” Griz coach Lionel Hollins said. “He’s been the director. We’re playing really well as a group and we’re finding out what our identity is as team.” Detroit played without guards

(groin) and Will (right foot), and forward

(right ankle). The Pistons signed guard Walker Russell Jr. from the NBA Development League.

Rudy Gay has found his scoring touch.

An unheralded part of the Grizzlies’ recent success might be Mike Conley ’s calming influence.

When the Pistons went on a thirdquarter run to slice the Grizzlies’ 23point lead to 64-57, Conley righted the ship. The point guard responded with four straight points that pushed their lead back into double digits.

Conley banked in a shot on a runner in the lane, and then stole the ball near midcourt and cruised to the basket for a layup.

“Whenever it gets tight, I think it was Josh Davis who told me that I tend to come up with a bucket or steal or something,” Conley said. “I just try not to let some of these games get out of hand.”

Next up

Tonight: Grizzlies vs Sacramento Kings, 7 p.m., Fedexforum

Marc Gasol is scoring and rebounding as well as any big man in the NBA.

Odds and ends

The Griz made 21 of 35 field goals in the first half. They’ve shot 60 percent or better in the first half of the past three games. The last team to do that had been the Los Angeles Clippers. They shot 60 percent or better in the first half of four straight games from Dec. 26, 2010-Jan.2, 2011.

Memphis’ 3-point shooting was once a serious deficiency. But the Grizzlies have discovered longdistance vision. They’ve converted 25 of their last 55 3-pointers with Mayo, Gay and Conley regularly burying shots from beyond the arc.

“We’ve just started making shots,” Hollins said. “I do think guys are now getting more consistent looks. We’re attacking better and sharing the ball. Everything is coming together.”

Gasol finished with six boards, ending a streak of 10 straight games in which he had double-digit rebounds.

The Pistons tied a Grizzlies’ opponent low with 12 points in the first quarter. The Los Angeles Lakers also scored just 12 points against the Griz in the fourth quarter of their Jan. 8 game.

Griz center Hamed Haddadi has returned to Memphis with a work visa and will be in uniform tonight. Haddadi, however, isn’t expected to play.

— Ronald Tillery