DENVER -- Zach Randolph scored 22 points, including successive baskets during a key fourth quarter sequence, and the Memphis Grizzlies beat theDenver Nuggets 103-96 on Monday night.
Matt Barnes added 16 points and Mario Chalmers 15 for the Grizzlies, and Memphis won its fifth in a row against the Nuggets, including three meetings this season.
Kenneth Faried had 16 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Nuggets, who have lost five of their last six. Gary Harris added 15 points.
Newly signed JaKarr Sampson started in place of injured forward Danilo Gallinari, the Nuggets' leading scorer who is sidelined indefinitely after severely spraining his right ankle Friday at Dallas. Sampson finished with seven points.
Trailing by one at the half, the Nuggets took a 71-all tie into the fourth quarter when Will Barton connected on a running hook shot in the final seconds of the third.
Both teams kept trading baskets through most of the fourth. No more than three points separated the teams until Randolph made consecutive layups to put Memphis up 94-89 with 4:01 remaining.
Mike Conley offset a layup by Faried with one of his own and Randolph swished a hook shot following a Denver turnover to stretch Memphis' lead to seven points with 44 seconds remaining. Chris Andersen and Chalmers each converted a pair of free throws in the final moments to help fend off the Nuggets.
The Grizzlies took a 48-47 halftime lead on Lance Stephenson's driving layup with 1 second left in the second quarter.
Denver kept it close despite committing 11 first-half turnovers leading to 15 Memphis points.
The Nuggets finished with 20 turnovers leading to 30 Grizzlies points.
TIP-INS
Grizzlies: Both Andersen and JaMychal Green are getting time at center in place of injured Marc Gasol, who is out for the rest of the season with a broken right foot. ... Randolph needs 44 points to supplant Tiny Archibald (16,481 points) for 94th on the NBA's career scoring list.
Nuggets: Gallinari was averaging 34.7 minutes and a career-high 19.5 points per game when he suffered the ankle injury Friday at Dallas. ... Faried has had double-doubles in three straight games and 16 on the season.
