Grizzlies Beat Bulls, 104-90

[January 22, 2008]  MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -- Mike Miller and Rudy Gay each had 24 points and 10 rebounds, and the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Chicago Bulls 104-90 on Monday.

Pau Gasol added 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Mike Conley had 10 points and a career-high 10 assists. Hakim Warrick added 12 points for Memphis.

Ben Gordon led the Bulls with 25 points, and Andres Nocioni had 16 points. Luol Deng added 13 points and Kirk Hinrich scored 12 points for Chicago, which shot just 36.5 percent from the field while Memphis connected on 52 percent of its shots.

The Grizzlies built a 17-point lead in the second half and maintained the double-digit lead the rest of the way, winning for the second time in three games.

The Bulls are 0-17 in games where their opponents score 100 points.

The Bulls pulled to 82-72 with 7:20 left, but Memphis made eight of its first 10 shots in the fourth quarter to hold off Chicago.

None of the Bulls had a good shooting night. Gordon hit eight of 20 shots, while Nocioni was 5-of-16. Joe Smith and Thabo Sefolosha both missed six of nine shots.

The Bulls trailed 36-35 with 3:33 left in the first half but Memphis closed out the second quarter with 12 unanswered points to go into the break with a 48-35 lead.

Miller scored 11 points, and Gay and Conley added 10 points apiece in the half.

Chicago shot 33 percent in the first half as Nocioni missed all five of his shots and Sefolosha missed five of his six shots.

Chicago made a dent in the early stages of the third as Memphis committed four turnovers in the first 2 minutes, leading to a 7-0 run by the Bulls to open the half. But Chicago still couldn't improve its shooting touch, and after the early mistakes, Memphis found its rhythm and took a 74-62 lead into the final period.

Notes: The game was part of the Grizzlies' Sixth Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration. Also part of the festivities: a high school game and recognition of former NBA stars Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bob Lanier for their contributions to civil and human rights. King was assassinated in 1968 on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel, which is only a short distance north of the FedExForum -- the Grizzlies' home arena. ... Bulls G Chris Duhon did not make the trip because of a knee injury he sustained in Saturday's win over Detroit. Duhon banged knees with Pistons guard Chauncey Billups. ... The Bulls visited the National Civil Rights Museum on Sunday at the suggestion of interim coach Jim Boylan. ... Gay learned before the game that he will participate in the Slam Dunk Contest on All-Star weekend.

[Associated Press; By R.B. FALLSTROM]

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