Japanese forward Yuta Watanabe played an NBA career-high 19 minutes for the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday, scoring five points and grabbing four rebounds in a 108-106 win over the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves.

The 24-year-old, whose two-way contract sees him splitting time between the Grizzlies and the minor league Memphis Hustle, knocked down two of his five field goal attempts after coming off the bench in the first quarter.

Guard Justin Holiday hit a pair of free throws with 0.1 seconds left to clinch the win for the Grizzlies, who are ranked second-last in the Western Conference.

Watanabe, whose parents were on hand to watch the game, said he was happy to contribute to the win. His baskets included his second-ever NBA three-pointer early in the fourth quarter to put the Grizzlies up 92-83.

"Nothing beats the feeling of sinking a three-pointer in that situation," Watanabe said.

"I'm really happy about the win. In the second half, I was determined to shoot if I had the opportunity. I'm not satisfied with my performance even though I shot a three pointer."

Watanabe spent an hour practicing his shot with his parents the night before the game. His father Hideyuki and his mother Kumi both played in the Japanese national league.

Watanabe, a Kagawa Prefecture native, extended his record number of NBA games by a Japanese player to nine. He is just the second Japanese player to appear in the world's premier basketball league since namesake Yuta Tabuse debuted 15 years ago.

Tabuse played four games for the Suns before being waived, and returned to Japan's B-League in 2008 following several stints in the minors.