MEMPHIS, Tenn., Nov. 3 (Ticker) -- Antawn Jamison, Juan Dixon and Jarvis Hayes displayed a season's worth of heart in the Washington Wizards' opener. Jamison scored 34 points, Dixon 28 and Hayes 20 as the woefully shorthanded Wizards rallied from a 19-point deficit to stun the Memphis Grizzlies, 103-91. The Wizards were without Gilbert Arenas, Larry Hughes, Brendan Haywood and Anthony Peeler, all of whom were suspended, while Kwame Brown, Etan Thomas and Steve Blake all are on the injured list. As a result, Washington used the league-minimum eight players, with only six playing more than 10 minutes. "We were missing some key guys, so we knew we had to play with a lot of energy and intensity," said Hayes, who played 40 minutes and grabbed nine rebounds. "We knew we were going to get tired but we played hard. We wanted to come in here tonight and get one and we did. ... With opening night and being short players, we were extra focused." Washington trailed, 41-22, after a 3-pointer by Bonzi Wells with 6:39 left in the second quarter but closed to 52-44 at the half. "We got back in it," Dixon said. "We cut it to eight at halftime, and that gave us a lot of confidence." The Wizards kept the momentum going in the third quarter, outscoring the Grizzlies, 32-11, behind 12 points from Jamison and nine from Dixon, whose 3-pointer gave Washington the lead for good, 63-60, with 4:46 left in the period. "Our players just gutted it out," Wizards coach Eddie Jordan said. "When the ball is going through the hoop, it juices you up." Washington shot 55 percent (11-of-20) and Memphis 22 percent (5-of-23) in the period. "We weren't responding the way we were supposed to," Grizzlies forward Pau Gasol said. "We were playing our game and we just stopped, and I don't really know why." Dixon and Jamison each had to come out briefly in the fourth quarter with leg cramps, but the Wizards nevertheless held on. "There was a lot of determination," Jamison said. "We just believed in ourselves as a team." Wells scored 19 points and Gasol added 17 and nine rebounds for the Grizzlies, who were playing their first regular-season game at the FedExForum. "Antawn Jamison really made their team tonight, and we couldn't do anything to stop him," Wells said. "They had nothing to lose tonight, and they played like that." Washington scored 32 points off 21 Memphis turnovers, while the Grizzlies only managed 18 points off 18 Wizards giveaways. "Give them all the credit," Memphis coach Hubie Brown said. "They executed and made the shots, and when they missed the shots, they outworked us. ... They played the way we are accustomed to playing." --

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