MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Newcomer Mario Chalmers scored 16 of his season-high 29 points in the fourth quarter Monday night and the Memphis Grizzlies held on for a 122-114 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Chalmers, picked up in a trade with the Miami Heat last week, converted 6 of 13 shots, including 4 of 7 from outside the arc, as five Grizzlies reached double figures. Mike Conley had 22, Jeff Green scored 20, while Marc Gasol added 17. Zach Randolph finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Russell Westbrook led the Thunder with 40 points, 12 in the fourth quarter trying to bring Oklahoma City back from an 11-point deficit in the frame. Serge Ibaka had 18 and Enes Kanter scored 16. Steven Adams and Dion Waiters finished with 14 apiece.
Oklahoma City shot 51 percent, including 10 of 24 from outside the arc. But Memphis converted 12 of 17 3-pointers.
The Thunder were without Kevin Durant, who missed his third straight game with a left hamstring strain.
Memphis benefited from 19 Oklahoma City turnovers compared to 10 for the Grizzlies.
After Memphis took its largest lead of the game at 106-95 on a pair of free throws by JaMychal Green with 3:40 left, Westbrook tried to bring the Thunder back.
He fueled a 10-2 rally that pulled Oklahoma City within 108-105 with 1:26 left.
But 3-pointers by Conley and JaMychal Green put the game away for Memphis, which won its third straight.
Memphis had three players in double figures at the break, including 14 from Conley, as the Grizzlies took a 58-52 lead into halftime.
Westbrook had 11 points, and like Conley, was 5 of 7 from the field.
Memphis actually took the lead to as many as 10 before settling on the halftime advantage.
Westbrook took over the Oklahoma City offense in the third, collecting 17 points in the frame. Rookie Cameron Payne connected on a 3-pointer at the end of the period to give OKC an 80-79 entering the fourth.
The Thunder led 83-82 when Waiters split a pair of free throws with 10:29 left. That's when Chalmers scored eight straight points, including a pair of 3-pointers.
TIP-INS: Thunder: Andre Roberson sat out the game with flu. Kyle Singler started his first game of the season in Roberson's spot. .Rookie Cameron Payne is from Memphis and played high school ball at Lausanne, the same school that Grizzlies Marc Gasol attended.
Grizzlies: The Grizzlies wore throwback jerseys of the Memphis Sounds, the local ABA franchise for the 1974-75 season, the last for a Memphis franchise in the league. It was the first of eight times, Memphis will wear the red and white Sounds uniforms. ... Chalmers previous high for the season was 16 at Minnesota when he was with the Heat.
UP NEXT
Thunder: Host Pelicans on Wednesday.
Grizzlies: Host Rockets on Friday.