Grizzlies 81, Nuggets 72: Rudy Gay scored eight of his 19 points down the stretch in the fourth quarter and host Memphis defeated Denver for the first time in three meetings this season.

Gay returned from a one-game absence that was caused by flight delays while visiting his ailing grandmother in Baltimore and shot 8-for-18 from the field. He and most of Memphis' other starters sat for the first 7 1/2 minutes of the fourth quarter, when neither team led by more than four points and there were three ties.

Gay helped the Grizzlies avenge two close losses to Denver by scoring eight points in a 10-0 run that gave Memphis a 78-68 advantage with 1:25 remaining. Gay attacked the basket for two layups, hit a pull-up jumper and capped the spurt by burying a step-back jumper.

Zach Randolph had 12 points and seven rebounds for Memphis, which held the Nuggets to two baskets in the final 4:44.

Andre Iguodala, Corey Brewer and JaVale McGee had 12 points apiece for Denver. The Nuggets were just 3-of-16 from 3-point range after making 12 of 28 shots from behind the arc on Friday in Dallas.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Memphis G-F Quincy Pondexter injured his left knee when he collided with teammate Wayne Ellington while going for a rebound with 3.1 seconds remaining in the third quarter. He was motionless on the floor for a few minutes and later diagnosed with a sprained left MCL. ... Memphis scored 30 points off 17 turnovers. ... Denver's Ty Lawson and Danilo Gallinari shot a combined 3-for-15.