job, you can tell how good stuff they have, Mets catcher Rene

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- The Memphis Grizzlies are on a four-game winning streak and relying on their reputation of hard-nosed defense.For the second straight night, Memphis held its opponent under 75 points, sending Minnesota to its worst offensive performance of the season and capturing a 93-71 victory over the Timberwolves on Saturday.The 71 points were a season-low for Minnesota, which was limited to 39 percent shooting on the night, also a season-low.Memphis held Andrew Wiggins, Minnesotas leading scorer at 27.4 points, to seven points as he missed nine of his 11 shots.Battle, fight him and try to make everything impossible for him, Memphis coach David Fizdale said. He missed some shots that he normally makes.JaMychal Green had 19 points and eight rebounds, while Zach Randolph added 18 points and seven boards for Memphis, which ended a four-game road trip with an 80-64 win at Dallas on Friday night.Thats what we do. Thats what weve been doing, Randolph said of the defense. That aint no surprise.The Grizzlies forced 19 turnovers, leading to 27 points.Their defense was terrific, Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau said. .We like to think that we are a pretty good offensive team. We didnt move the ball the way we needed to.Mike Conley and Andrew Harrison added 13 points apiece for Memphis, while James Ennis finished with 11 points.Zach LaVine led the Timberwolves with 22 points, providing a third-quarter push when Minnesota tied the game. Karl-Anthony Towns scored 17.LaVine kept the Timberwolves within striking distance to open the third, collecting Minnesotas first eight points, including a pair of 3-pointers.The game was deadlocked at 48 when Memphis clicked off 14 straight points to build its largest lead of the game at that point.Memphis would stretch the advantage to as many as 25 in the fourth.I just didnt like the way we played, Thibodeau said, adding: With 19 turnovers, we cant win on the road. (The Grizzlies) are going to make you pay for your mistakes, and they did.TIP-INSTimberwolves: Minnesotas 39 first-half points were a season-low for a first half. ... Minnesotas previous low for points this season was 92 against Oklahoma City on Nov. 5. ... Minnesota is now 0-7 when shooting under 45 percent and 0-8 when trailing after three quarters.Grizzlies: F Chandler Parsons did not play on the second night of the back-to-back. Parsons, still nursing offseason right knee surgery, had played in all six games since he returned to action Nov. 6. ... Vince Carter played in his 1,287th game, moving past Sam Perkins for 23rd on the career list. ... Memphis was 33 of 38 from the free throw line, season highs in both categories.MILWAUKEE MOTIVATIONMemphis four-game winning streak began after a poor performance in a 106-96 loss at Milwaukee on Nov. 12. We had a team meeting, and Coach got on us about our effort in the Milwaukee game, Green said. It looked bad on film, and it opened all our eyes.WIGGINS WOESWiggins seven points matched his season low. He also had seven at Oklahoma City on Nov. 5. Thibodeau said the poor shooting impacted other aspects of Wiggins game. .You cant allow that to take away from other things you can do to help the team win, Thibodeau said. You can do things without shooting well. Thats an area we have to grow in.NO REST. NO PROBLEMMemphis has won all three of its games on the second night of back-to-backs this season.UP NEXTTimberwolves: Host the Boston Celtics on Monday, the only home game in a five-game stretch.Grizzlies: Begin a two-game road swing through the Eastern Conference beginning Monday at Charlotte before going to Philadelphia on Thanksgiving Eve. Nike Air Force 1 Pánské . Spiller left Week 3s 27-20 loss to the New York Jets with a thigh injury, but fully practiced with the team all week and expects to be ready to go on Sunday. Air Force 1 Dámské . -- Yogi Ferrell orchestrates pretty much everything in Indianas offence. http://www.airforce1levne.com/ . -- Eastern Kentucky thrives off creating havoc for others. Nike Air Force 1 Černé . Clarkson had been dealing with an elbow injury in early January and will be out of action for at least one week. He has three goals and five assists through 36 games with the Leafs this season. Air Force 1 Just Do It . PAUL, Minn. NEW YORK -- The New York Mets didnt have to do a thing Thursday in order to take sole possession of the second wild card in the National League. On Friday, the Mets will begin taking playoff destiny into their own hands.The Mets open up their final homestand of the regular season Friday night, when the Minnesota Twins visit for a three-game interleague series at Citi Field. New York (77-69) was off Thursday following a 1-0 loss to the Washington Nationals on Wednesday while the Twins (55-92) beat the Detroit Tigers, 5-1, at Comerica Park Thursday afternoon.While the Twins are hoping to avoid 100 losses, the Mets will enter Friday with a one-game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals (76-70) in the race for the NLs second wild-card spot by virtue of the Cardinals 6-2 loss Thursday night to the top wild card, the San Francisco Giants (78-68).The Mets, the defending NL champions, appeared finished four weeks ago Friday, when an 8-1 loss to the Giants dropped them to 60-62 and into fifth place in the wild-card race, 5 1/2 games behind the second wild card Cardinals.But the Mets have the best record in baseball (17-7) since Aug. 19 and will play their final 16 games against a quartet of teams -- the Twins, Atlanta Braves, Philadelphia Phillies and Miami Marlins -- that enter Friday a combined 88 games under .500.We have caught up a lot in the last couple of weeks, Mets manager Terry Collins said. We have a chance to do some damage if we take care of our own business.The Mets have done damage of the past monthh thanks largely to strong pitching from three unexpected contributors: Rookies Seth Lugo and Robert Gsellman as well as wise old sage Bartolo Colon.dddddddddddd The trio is a combined 9-1 with a 2.58 ERA in 14 games (13 starts) during New Yorks run.Colon, the oldest player in baseball at age 43, is scheduled to start Fridays opener while Lugo is expected to pitch Saturday.At this time of year, (with) where were at, and you see the young guys stepping up and doing their job, you can tell how good stuff they have, Mets catcher Rene Rivera said after Gsellman threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings Wednesday.The Twins, meanwhile, will look to continue playing spoiler as they try to avoid the franchises first 100-loss season since 1982. Minnesota, which needs to go 8-7 the rest of the way to finish with fewer than 100 losses, just split a four-game series with the AL wild card-contending Tigers and will play the next 12 games against four teams -- the Mets, Tigers, Seattle Mariners and Kansas City Royals -- who are currently over .500 and within six games of a playoff spot.Rookie right-hander Jose Berrios, who has a 9.27 ERA in his first 11 big league starts, is scheduled to oppose Colon on Friday night.Were trying to finish and at the same time construct a little bit in our brains going forward, what people are in our mix, Twins manager Paul Molitor told reporters Thursday afternoon. ' ' '