Grizzlies rally to shock Timberwolves, Warriors push Nuggets to brink

The Memphis Grizzlies erased a 26-point deficit to stun the Minnesota Timberwolves 104-95 on Thursday and take a 2-1 lead in their NBA playoff series.

Down 26 points in the second quarter and 25 with 3:10 left in the third, the Grizzlies held their nerve in Minneapolis, out-scoring the Timberwolves 37-12 in the fourth quarter to match the fourth-largest comeback in NBA playoff history.

"It's an emotional victory -- coming from being down a lot," said Desmond Bane, who led the Grizzlies with 26 points.

But he cautioned that there was still a lot of work to do in the best-of-seven Western Conference series.

"We've got to keep our heads," Bane said. "It's first to four."

Elsewhere the Golden State Warriors were closing in on those four needed victories, taking a 3-0 stranglehold on their series with a 118-113 victory over the Nuggets in Denver.

In Salt Lake City, the Dallas Mavericks weathered a late surge from the Utah Jazz for a 126-118 victory that gave the Mavs a 2-1 series lead.

But the Grizzlies produced the most astonishing result of the night.

Brandon Clarke scored 12 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter for Memphis.

Ja Morant connected on just five of 18 shots from the field but put together a triple-double of 16 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for Memphis, who used a 21-0 fourth-quarter scoring run to turn the tables on the T-wolves.

Minnesota led 47-21 with 10:28 left in the second quarter when the Grizzlies mounted their first charge, trimming the deficit to seven points at halftime.

The Timberwolves regained the upper hand with a quick start to the third quarter, taking a 73-50 lead on Jaden McDaniels' three-pointer with 4:28 left in the period.

D'Angelo Russell's three-pointer with 3:10 left in the third put