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Miller's nine 3-pointers lead Grizzlies in win

Jan 4, 2007 - 6:20 AM MEMPHIS, Tennessee (Ticker) -- Mike Miller displayed his long-range shooting ability.

Miller made a career-high nine 3-pointers en route to a season-best 33 points as the Memphis Grizzlies posted a 144-135 victory over the Golden State Warriors.

The 2000 Rookie of the Year, Miller made 11-of-15 shots overall and handed out seven assists. He had connected on seven 3-pointers two previous times in his career.

"Every once in a while, it is good to be lucky," Miller said. "The guards did a good job of driving the ball and dishing it back out. They are the ones who should get the credit when I'm out there making open shots. I'm out there doing the easy part."

"We definitely didn't do a good job against Miller," Warriors coach Don Nelson said. "He got open and made the hard shots, and I think we should have done a better job of not allowing him to get open. But they ran a lot of good stuff for him, and every time he had a whisker of a look, he made the shot. It was truly amazing."

Miller also set the franchise for 3-point field-goals made.

"It's always fun when you're winning," Miller said. "We played well offensively and were able to make a lot of shots. Everyone was on the right page on offense, and when you're out there hitting shots, it makes everything else easier."

Stromile Swift scored 26 points and Pau Gasol chipped in 24 and 13 rebounds for Memphis, which set a franchise high in points in regulation.

"It's amazing that we scored the way we did," Gasol said. "We took a lot of good shots, and the score kept going up. We knew they like to play this way, and now the last few games we have been playing this style. It felt good to get another win, and hopefully we can get on a nice little run and keep playing this way the rest of the season."

The game was tied at 127-127 before the Grizzlies took control for good. Swift converted a three-point play with 3:27 left, sparking a game-ending 15-6 surge.

Memphis improved to 2-1 under interim coach Tony Barone, who took after Mike Fratello was fired last week. His lone defeat was a two-point decision at Houston on Sunday.

"This was a big win," Barone said. "It proved to our guys that you can run, you can get behind, you can come back, then you have to finish the game. I was thrilled with it. Our defense was porous at best. But at the end of the game, from the three-minute mark down, we were excellent defensively."

Rookie Rudy Gay scored 22 points and Damon Stoudamire had 18 and a season-high 16 assists for the Grizzlies, who shot 55 percent (53-of-95) from the floor and made 12-of-22 3-pointers.

Matt Barnes scored a career-best 36 points and Baron Davis added 22 and 13 assists for Golden State, which has dropped five straight meetings with Memphis.

"It's truly amazing what that guy (Barnes) has done," Nelson said. "He fits into our style, and he's found a niche with us. I just wouldn't have believed it if you had told me."