Field Level Media
Jan 2, 2019
Luke Kennard ignited a late-game run with back-to-back 3-pointers Wednesday night, sending the Detroit Pistons to a 101-94 victory over the host Memphis Grizzlies in a game in which Mike Conley went scoreless in a start for the first time since December 2015.
Blake Griffin had a team-high 26 points, including five in the critical 13-0 burst, as the Pistons beat the Grizzlies for just the fourth time in their last 18 meetings.
Conley shot 0-for-8 and didn't score in 28 minutes for the Grizzlies, who at 18-19 fell below .500 for the first time since opening 0-1. His last scoreless start had been at home against Oklahoma City on Dec. 8, 2015, a game in which he went 0-for-7.
In a game in which neither team led by more than eight to that point, the Grizzlies trailed just 83-82 with 5:58 to go after a tip-in by Dillon Brooks.
But Kennard then countered with his consecutive threes, Reggie Jackson added a floater and Griffin contributed a jumper, a free throw and an interior basket in the 13-0 run that opened a 96-82 Detroit advantage with just 2:45 to go.
The Grizzlies went 3:53 without a point before Kyle Anderson converted a drive with 2:05 left.
Griffin complemented his big scoring night with eight rebounds and a game-high seven assists, while Andre Drummond recorded a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Pistons, who salvaged one win on a four-game trip that began with losses at Indiana, Orlando and Milwaukee.
Jackson went for 16 points, Kennard and Reggie Bullock scored 13 apiece, and Langston Galloway added 11 for Detroit. Jackson (four), Bullock (three) and Galloway (three) combined for 10 3-pointers as the Pistons outscored the Grizzlies 48-12 from beyond the arc.
Jaren Jackson Jr. matched Griffin's game-high point total with 26 and Drummond's game-high rebound total with 10 for the Grizzlies, who lost their third straight.
Anderson totaled 15 points, Brooks 14 and Marc Gasol 11 for Memphis, which outshot Detroit 46.2 percent to 43.4, but misfired on 14 of 18 3-point attempts.
--Field Level Media