Los Angeles Lakers vs Memphis Grizzlies - January 23, 2013

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• published: 24 Jan 2013
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THE FACTS: Following Tuesday's trade of three bench players, Memphis was left with just 10 available bodies for Wednesday night's game against the Los Angeles Lakers. Fortunately, it was a struggling Lakers team that had lost 10 of its last 12 and six consecutive road games. The Grizzlies got significant contributions from all 20, led by forward Darrell Arthur's 20 points and nine rebounds off the bench, to beat the Lakers, 106-93, at FedExForum. QUOTABLE: "My focus had to be on point. I had to come out here and be aggressive. Not just this game, but every game, I've got to be consistent. Our numbers are down, but I thought our bench did a great job of coming in and giving us a spark." -- Arthur THE STAT: The Grizzlies scored 100 points or more in eight of their first 14 games this season. Since then, in regulation, they've only topped the 100-point mark twice counting Wednesday night's game. The other was Jan. 7 at Sacramento. TURNING POINT: After trailing by nine at the half, the Lakers made a run to pull to within 67-63 with 6:28 left in the third quarter behind the hot shooting of Kobe Bryant, who had a game-high 29 points. But the Grizzlies responded with a 14-6 run to build a 12-point advantage and regain control of the game. HOT: Arthur knew that with forward Marreese Speights part of the trade with Cleveland in return for forward Jon Leuer, who was unable because the physical paperwork hadn't been cleared by the NBA yet, he was going to see significant playing time. That time increased further with both Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph in foul trouble throughout the first half. Arthur responded with season highs in points and rebounds, shooting 9 of 14 from the floor. He did so with dunks, jumpers and drives to the basket. NOT: The Lakers didn't get much scoring from Dwight Howard or Pau Gasol. Howard left the game with just over two minutes remaining in the first half after re-aggravated a right shoulder injury. But before that, he was 0 for 4 with just two points. Gasol, coming off the bench again, scored 13 missed six of his 10 shots. QUOTABLE II: "Well (they were) too quick (and) too fast for us. They just beat us. They beat us to the ball. They beat us to the second chance points. That's mostly what it was. They just got so many more shots than we did at the goal. We just didn't play well." -- Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni. NOTABLE: Grizzlies' rookie guard Tony Wroten couldn't have written a better script for his first game with significant playing time this season. Shorthanded in the backcourt, the Grizzlies turned to their rookie to backup up point guard Mike Conley. Wroten responded with career highs of nine points and five rebounds. He also had a pair of memorable plays -- a dunk on Dwight Howard and Gasol, and block of Kobe Bryant at the rim, which Bryant was eventually given a technical foul for arguing. "I didn't even realize it was Kobe at first because it was in the heat of the moment," Wroten said. "I was trying to get a block without fouling him and then I found out it was Kobe. I was like, `Wow.' It was crazy.'' ... Without Howard's defensive presence in the middle, the Grizzlies took advantage, outscoring the Lakers, 60-35, in the paint, where they were 30 for 52. The 60 points in the paint were a season high. The Grizzlies also had a 27-3 edge in second chance points. ... After making 7 of his 9 shots in the first half for 16 points, Bryant was just 4 of 14 in the second half. Eleven of his 13 second half points came in the third quarter. ... Grizzlies guard Chris Johnson, playing in his first game after being acquired Tuesday on a 10-day contract from Rio Grande Valley of the NBA D-league, played seven minutes, scoring four points on 2 of 4 shots. ... The Grizzlies are 2-0 against the Lakers this season. With their final game in L.A. on April 5, the Grizzlies have clinched the season-series against the Lakers for the first time since the 2004-05 season when they were 3-0 against them. UP NEXT: For the Lakers, Friday vs. Utah, Sunday vs. Oklahoma City. For the Grizzlies, Friday vs. Brooklyn, Sunday vs. New Orleans, Monday at Philadelphia.