Final
Grizzlies throttle Rockets in battle of NBA's best
Nov 18, 2014 - 6:00 AM Memphis, TN (SportsNetwork.com) - With one team unbeaten on the road and the other showcasing a flawless home record, add on that both teams were in the midst of three-game winning streaks, something had to give Monday night when the Houston Rockets visited the Memphis Grizzlies.Mike Conley led seven players in double figures with 19 points to help the Grizzlies to a season-high point total in a 119-93 drubbing of the Rockets in a matchup of the NBA's two best records on Monday.
Courtney Lee deposited 15 points and Zach Randolph supplied 14 points with seven rebounds for Memphis, which extended its home record to 6-0 and have now won 20 straight at FedEx Forum dating back to last season.
Reserves Quincy Pondexter, Beno Udrih and Jon Leuer each netted 13 points in the triumph.
"I liked what I saw from our team tonight. We showed growth," Grizzlies coach David Joerger said. "It was fantastic. I'm very proud of our guys."
Trevor Ariza paced Houston with 16 points and Dwight Howard chipped in with 15 points and nine rebounds in the setback. The Rockets have lost seven of their last eight in Memphis.
"They just beat the hell out of us," Rockets coach Kevin McHale said.
After a lethargic offensive effort on Sunday in which Houston shot 28.8 percent from the floor in a 69-65 win over Oklahoma City, the Rockets jumped out to an early lead in this one.
It wouldn't hold up, though.
James Harden's technical free throw gave the Rockets an 11-7 lead at the 8:28 mark of the first, then it was all Memphis after that. The Grizzlies held their opponent to just seven points the rest of the quarter and ripped off 27 of their own over that span, including the final 13 to take a 34-18 lead after 12 minutes. Conley and Lee each had seven points during the surge, which rolled right into the second quarter.
Udrih scored five straight points after each team traded a basket as the lead swelled to 21 less than two minutes in.
Houston's defense was as sluggish on Monday as its offense on Sunday, allowing Memphis to shoot 57.8 percent in the opening half and trailing 65-42 at the break.
The Grizzlies offensive onslaught continued in the second half, as they led by as many as 36, cruising to the win.
Game Notes
The Grizzlies scored 31 points off 21 Houston turnovers ... Kosta Koufos tallied 10 points with three blocks off the bench for Memphis ... The Grizzlies made 20-of-22 from the foul line and had a 27-11 advantage on the fastbreak ... The Rockets shot 8-of-34 from 3-point range ... Memphis travels to Toronto for a meeting with the Eastern Conference's best team on Wednesday ... Houston heads home to open up a five-game homestand with the Lakers.
Nov 17 10:18 PM- HOUSTON: 66
MEMPHIS: 97
End of 3rd
Nov 17 9:52 PM - HOUSTON: 42
MEMPHIS: 65
Halftime
Nov 17 9:09 PM - HOUSTON: 18
MEMPHIS: 34
End of 1st
Nov 17 8:34 PM - HOUSTON: 2
MEMPHIS: 0
1st Quarter - 11:45
Nov 17 8:13 PM
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