Grizzlies beat Heat 104-86 for 5th straight win
Memphis Grizzlies’ Zach Randolph dunks during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Miami Heat in Memphis, Tenn., Sunday, Nov. 11, 2012. The Grizzlies won 104-86. AP PHOTO
MEMPHIS, Tennessee — The Memphis Grizzlies beat the Miami Heat 104-86 on Sunday for their fifth straight win and the club’s best ever start to an NBA season.
Reserve Wayne Ellington had career bests with seven 3-pointers and 25 points as the Grizzlies (5-1) snapped Miami’s four-game winning streak while topping their 4-1 start in 2000-01 — the club’s last season in Vancouver. They also extended their own team-record home winning streak to 14 dating to last season.
Rudy Gay added 21 points and Zach Randolph had his sixth double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds for Memphis. Mike Conley had 18 points and nine assists, while Marc Gasol added 10 rebounds and six assists.
Chris Bosh scored 22 points and LeBron James had 20 for Miami.
Dwight Howard had 23 points and 18 rebounds for Los Angeles and Kobe Bryant scored 20 as the Lakers warmed up for a possible return by coach Phil Jackson with a 103-90 win over the Sacramento Kings.
Interim coach Bernie Bickerstaff called the shots for the second straight game following the firing of Mike Brown on Friday with the team off to a 1-4 start — their worst in 19 years. They downed Golden State 101-77 at Staples Center several hours after the change.
Lakers executive vice president Jim Buss and general manager Mitch Kupchak remain in negotiations with Jackson, whom they are trying to coax out of retirement.
Jimmer Fredette scored 18, and Jason Thompson had 15 points and 10 assists for the Kings.
Oklahoma City’s Russell Westbrook banked in a half-court shot during a rough-and-tumble 27-point outing and Kevin Durant added 26 points to lead the Thunder over the Cleveland Cavaliers 106-91.
Kyrie Irving led the Cavs with 20 points, Alonzo Gee had 18 points and Daniel Gibson.
At New York, Brook Lopez scored 20 points, and Kris Humphries added 14 points and 21 rebounds as the Brooklyn Nets beat the Orlando Magic 82-74 to complete a home-and-away sweep.
Deron Williams finished with 17 points, seven rebounds, seven assists and a couple key plays down the stretch after what appeared to be another blowout turned into a close game. The Nets beat the Magic 107-68 at Orlando on Friday and jumped out to an early 20-point lead in this one.
Glen Davis had 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Magic.
Clippers forward Blake Griffin scored 16 points, and Chris Paul had 15 points and eight assists to lead Los Angeles to an 89-76 win over the Atlanta Hawks.
Josh Smith had a team-high 13 points for the Hawks, who shot 41.7 percent from the field in the opener of a four-game road trip. Atlanta also committed 22 turnovers that led to 24 points for the Clippers.
