DENVER -- The Denver Nuggets started Wednesday night shorthanded and then lost two more players. The Memphis Grizzlies were happy to take advantage of the situation.

Marc Gasol scored 24 points, Mike Conley scored 16 of his 18 points in the first half, and the Grizzlies beat the depleted Nuggets 119-99.

Zach Randolph and Vince Carter scored 14 each for the Grizzlies (30-21), who have won three straight.

"Offensively, we're playing good. We're moving the ball," Gasol said. "We're finding the open guy and taking good shots, but defensively we need to tighten it up a little bit and be more disciplined."

Emmanuel Mudiay scored 14 points and had seven rebounds in his first game since injuring his back Jan. 21. Kenneth Faried recorded 11 points and 11 rebounds for Denver (21-27), which had its five-game home winning streak snapped.

Denver played its third straight game without center Nikola Jokic, who is out with a left hip flexor strain, and guard Will Barton missed his second consecutive game with left ankle soreness.

The Nuggets were further compromised when Jameer Nelson got ejected 4:07 into the game; it appeared he was talking to an official from the bench area after being whistled for his second foul.

"Obviously Jameer did not agree with the foul call against him," Denver coach Michael Malone said. "Obviously J.T. Orr made the decision to give him a tech, Jameer had something to add and he gave him another tech. That's where the referee can walk away, give a warning. J.T. felt it warranted a second tech, and that's his prerogative as an official."

That left Denver with three guards available, and then things got dicier when leading scorer Danilo Gallinari left late in the third with a left groin strain. Malone said he will get an MRI on Thursday morning.

By the time Gallinari had left, the Grizzlies were cruising to their fourth win in five games.

"It feels like we've finally got a good little stride going," Conley said. "I definitely think this is one of the best stretches we've played."

Memphis can finish its six-game trip with a winning record, if it can get one of the last two games before heading home. The Grizzlies play Oklahoma City on Friday before ending the trip Saturday in Minnesota.

"Everybody is focused, on board, and we understand our role as a team and as individuals and what we need to bring to the table and who we need to be," Carter said.

Malone rotated players in almost like changing lines in a hockey game, but the Nuggets couldn't find any chemistry without key players.

The Grizzlies took advantage of a tired, injured team. Conley and Gasol combined for 30 points in the first half to help give Memphis a 62-49 lead at the break. The Grizzlies led by as many as 16, and only a trio of 3-pointers from Arthur kept Denver close.

Malone wanted to keep Mudiay's minutes at 20, but Nelson's ejection changed that plan.

"It threw me off," said Mudiay, who also had six rebounds. "That kind of set the tone throughout the game."

The Grizzlies maintained a comfortable lead throughout the third quarter, thanks to Gasol. He had 10 points and added three assists in the period, the last on Carter's 3-pointer that made it 81-66.

A James Ennis 3-pointer and Zach Randolph's layup gave Memphis a 19-point lead late in the third. The lead grew to 25 on a 3-pointer by Troy Daniels with 4:58 left. By then, both teams had emptied their benches.

NOTES: Nuggets G Will Barton missed his second straight game with an ankle injury. Coach Michael Malone said it started bothering Barton on Tuesday morning and felt the same when he woke up Wednesday. ... With the return of Brandon Wright on Monday, the Grizzlies were at full strength for the first time this season. ... Nuggets G Emmanuel Mudiay returned to action after missing five games with lower back soreness. He didn't start and was on a minutes restriction. ... F Nikola Jokic missed his third straight game with a left hip flexor strain but Malone said he was close to returning.