MEMPHIS, Tenn., Dec. 8 (Ticker) -- Injuries are
bad enough for the Philadelphia 76ers, but losing to
the Memphis Grizzlies twice in the same week might be
worse. <br>Rookie Pau Gasol scored 24 points and Jason
Williams added 23 as the Grizzlies handed the shorthanded
76ers their fifth consecutive loss, 92-83.
<br><br>Since being inserted into the starting lineup in early
November, Gasol has reached double figures in his last 11
games. <br><br>NBA.comTV highlights from
Sixers-Grizzlies: 56k | 300k <br><br><br>Pau Gasol backs down the
Sixers as the Grizzlies sweep Philly.<br>Joe
Murphy<br>NBAE/Getty Images <br>"I felt good tonight and I just kept
shooting the ball," he said. "We had to win this game. It
was important for us to win. It felt good."
<br><br>The Grizzlies, who lost their last two games to
Orlando and Minnesota by a combined 67 points, played
more of a team game in Gasol's estimation. <br><br>"I
think in the games against Minnesota and against
Orlando, we did not play like a team," he said. "We played
better tonight and played like a team." <br><br>Memphis
has swept Philadelphia for the first time in
franchise history and has won five of its last 11 games
after opening the season 0-8. <br><br>"Me as a player
looking at where we're coming from, we'll take a win
anytime we can get it and we'll be happy," said Williams.
<br><br>"I think we are getting used to each other out there
and it shows," added rookie forward Shane Battier.
"Everybody is playing well. We have played a lot better than
we did at the start of the season."
<br><br>Philadelphia coach Larry Brown had just nine available
players, with guards Allen Iverson (sprained thumb) and
Aaron McKie (strained back) and forward Derrick Coleman
(hyperextended left knee) sidelined. <br><br>Center Dikembe
Mutombo and forward Matt Harpring were the only regulars
in Philadelphia's starting lineup. The Sixers held
just two early leads -- its last coming at 20-18 with
3:43 left in the first quarter. Mutombo gave the 76ers
the lead, but Williams answered with a 3-pointer as
Memphis never trailed. <br><br>To make matters worse, the
Sixers were reduced to eight players after Iverson's
replacement, Speedy Claxton, went down with a twisted left
ankle at the start of the second quarter.
<br><br>Attempting a layup, Claxton collided with Memphis forward
Grant Long. He rolled his ankle as he fell down near
the basket and had to be carried off the court.
<br><br>Claxton, who was Philadelphia's first-round pick in the
2000 draft, missed all of last season with a knee
injury sustained in preseason. <br><br>"It's like we
have a sniper at the top of the arena who keeps
shooting down at us," Mutombo said. "We knew we could do
better. We knew we had to leave everything on the floor,
and I think we did a decent job. And the guys who
came in and played, they played very well. You have to
play with what you got." <br><br>"It's hard to watch,"
added Iverson, who has missed seven games this season.
"Those are my teammates out there. I want to see them
win, but at least they played hard." <br><br>The
Grizzlies took a 35-24 lead after the opening period as
Tony Massenburg drilled his first career 3-pointer at
the buzzer. Philadelphia got within seven points in
the third quarter, but Memphis never was threatened.
<br><br>Memphis led by as many as 17 in the second quarter and
carried a 53-40 lead into the break. <br><br>Raja Bell's
jumper reduced the lead to six points in the third, but
the Grizzlies answered with a 11-3 run that finished
off the Sixers. <br><br>Vonteego Cummings scored a
career-high 28 points and Matt Harpring added 22 for the
Sixers, who shot 44.5 percent (33-of-74). <br><br>Iverson
joined Houston's Steve Francis, Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki,
Portland's Scottie Pippen and Sacramento's Chris Webber as
star players that have missed games at the Pyramid
with injuries.