NBA: Raptors remain in running for top-6 seed, pound Grizzlies

RJ Barrett scored 25 points, Collin Murray-Bowles added 19 and Brandon Ingram contributed 17 points and seven rebounds to lead the visiting Toronto Raptors to a 128-96 victory Friday night over the Memphis Grizzlies.

Scottie Barnes finished with 10 points and six assists, but failed to reach 10 or more assists for the first time in seven games.

The Raptors snapped a two-game losing streak and won for the seventh time in their last eight games in Memphis. With the win, Toronto kept pace for one of the six guaranteed spots in the Eastern Conference playoffs. The Raptors (43-34) and tied with the Philadelphia 76ers (43-34) for sixth place. The 76ers hold the tiebreaker.

Toronto is among six teams battling for fifth and sixth place, a finish that would reward those teams with a guaranteed playoff spot. The Raptors would be the seventh seed if the season ended Friday, a position that would place them in the play-in tournament.

GG Jackson led the Grizzlies (25-52) with a season-high 30 points on 10-of-16 shooting from the field. Cedric Coward finished with 15 points and Javon Small had 14 points and six rebounds. Memphis lost its third straight and eighth in the last nine games.

The extremely short-handed Grizzlies played with a roster that included four 10-day contract players - including two signed Friday - and three two-way players.

Ahead 59-41 at the half, the Raptors never let up. They used a 14-0 run midway through the third quarter to build a 31-point lead following two free throws by Jamal Shead. In the fourth quarter, they stretched their advantage to 33.

Toronto jumped to an 11-0 lead, fell behind briefly in the second quarter and finished strong before the half with a 10-2 run. For the game, Toronto shot 52.4% from the field.

Memphis, which shot just 40% from the field, is limping to the finish as most of its key players are sidelined with injuries and/or recent medical procedures.

--Field Level Media/Reuters