ORLANDO, Fla. -- Orlando Magic center Nikola Vucevic wants back in the starting lineup, but it's tough to argue with his new role as a reserve.

This is as good as he has played.

Vucevic, the starting center for the past five seasons, shined again in his third consecutive game as a backup, leading the Magic to a 119-107 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies Sunday night at the Amway Center.

Vucevic scored 25 points and grabbed 10 rebounds Sunday, adding to the 24 and 22 points in his previous two games. In the three games, he has combined to hit 32 of 47 shots (68 percent) and looks more confident than he has all season.

"It has worked well for me, and for us," he said. "But I prefer starting. I've always been a starter. I think it just gave me a new perspective."

Vucevic had missed the previous 13 games with a groin strain, and coach Scott Skiles wanted to work him back into the lineup slowly by making him a reserve. The time away gave him rest, but he also watched his team closely, and worked on his shooting touch.

"He certainly looks good again," Skiles said. "Every time he shoots it, it looks like it's going in."

Magic guard Victor Oladipo had 22 points and seven rebounds. Evan Fournier had 22 points and made a trio of 3-pointers. Aaron Gordon had 14 points and 10 rebounds, and Andrew Nicholson had 10 points and made three of his four 3-point attempts.

The Magic (33-44) are out of the playoff race, but they have won four of their last five games. They are playing again like they did at the start of the season when they opened with a 19-13 record.

"I wish this hadn't happened when we were out of it already," Skiles said. "It's got to happen when you're in the race."

The Grizzlies (41-36) are struggling to remain in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race. They lost their sixth consecutive game and 10th in their last 12.

Matt Barnes led the Grizzlies with 24 points and hit five of his 10 3-point attempts. Zach Randolph had 15 points, seven assists and seven rebounds. Vince Carter had 13 points, and Tony Allen had 10 points. JaMychal Green and Lance Stephenson each scored 11 points.

The Grizzlies never got closer than 10 points in the fourth quarter.

"This frustrating," Randolph said. "We're trying to get into the playoffs, just trying to win some games and hold our spot."

The injury-ridden Grizzlies have been playing without center Marc Gasol (foot surgery) and point guard Mike Conley (Achilles tendinitis) and lead the NBA in games lost to injury.

"It was a good game. We just didn't get enough stops," Memphis coach Dave Joerger said. "Too much Vucevic. Too much Oladipo. They are a talented team now and they are playing well."

Nicholson hit back-to-back 3-pointers midway in the fourth to up the Magic's lead to 109-91, and those came immediately after a 3-pointer by teammate Brandon Jennings. The Grizzlies closed the gap, but never seriously challenged for the lead.

The Magic had taken a 97-85 lead into the final period. They led by as many as 20 points in the third period, but the Grizzlies cut the deficit to 12 when Barnes hit a trio of free throws to close the period.

The Magic led 67-56, at halftime, capitalizing on a hot-shooting start and another good performance from Vucevic. He had 17 points in 13 first-half minutes. Fournier and Oladipo each had 12 points by intermission. Elfrid Payton had nine assists in the first half.

Barnes had 12 points in the first quarter when he hit his first four 3-point shots, lifting the Grizzlies to a 17-16 lead. The Magic led by as many as eight points late in the first quarter.

The Magic closed the second period with a 9-2 run, which included a 3-point play by Payton and four points by Oladipo. They scored 38 points in the second.

NOTES: Memphis F Matt Barnes, who played for the Magic earlier in his career, made his first four 3-point shots in the first quarter Sunday, reminding the Magic what they once had. ... Memphis G Bryce Cotton, who was signed to a 10-day contract April 1 and played in the final minute Sunday, became the 28th different player to play for the Grizzlies this season, an NBA record. The Grizzlies, with 27 players, had been tied with the Dallas Mavericks (1996-97 season). The Grizzlies could become the first team to make the NBA playoffs with more than 24 different players on the roster during the regular season. ... Magic G C.J. Watson missed the game with a sprained ankle.