Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph controls the ball against Raptors forward Amir Johnson at the FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn., Nov. 28, 2012. (JOE MURPHY NBAE via Getty Images/AFP)
The Toronto Raptors only really had one major letdown on Wednesday night in Memphis.
Unfortunately, it came at a most inopportune time.
Trailing by only one point at the half, Toronto played dead in the third quarter, allowing the league-leading 11-2 Grizzlies to start the third on an 11-1 run. By the time the Tony Allen-led carnage was over, the Raptors trailed by an insurmountable 20 points and were on the way to a record 10 games under .500.
The final read 103-82, with Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol pacing Memphis with 17.
No Raptor scored more than 12 points.
Allen, the defensive spark plug who has always given DeMar DeRozan fits, put his stamp on the game with lockdown, disruptive defence that led to a familiar string of Raptors turnovers.
The visitors shot a horrid 4-for-17 in the quarter and went 47% from the field through two quarters to 10% worse by the time it was over.
Like in Houston a night earlier, Toronto’s opponent fed off Raptor turno
