Carroll’s 24 points lead Nets over struggling Grizzlies
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The misery remains for the Memphis Grizzlies, and friction seems to be building in the locker room.
Memphis dropped its eighth straight on Sunday in a 98-88 loss to the Brooklyn Nets. The Grizzlies made a fourth-quarter dent in a Nets lead that stretched to 19, all while center Marc Gasol was in a warmup on the bench. Despite matching Tyreke Evans for the team lead with 18 points, Gasol, who leads the team in scoring, rebounds and assists, wasn't called on to play in the final period.
And he wasn't pleased.
"I do not know the why," Gasol said of not playing down the stretch, later adding: "It's a first for me, trust me, and I don't like it one bit. I'm more (ticked) than I can show and frustrated."
Speaking before Gasol, Memphis coach David Fizdale said his decision was based on the reserves playing well and cutting into the Brooklyn lead. He said not much has worked for the team during the skid, particularly Sunday, when the Grizzlies gave up the lead in a poor third quarter.
Asked about Gasol's reaction about not playing down the stretch, Fizdale said: "We'll address it if it needs to be addressed, but it was a pretty simple decision what I did. It's nothing against him. I'm trying to win a game. I'm desperate."
While the Grizzlies were grousing, the Nets were celebrating, at least for one night, after snapping a three-game losing streak.
DeMarre Carroll scored a season-high 24 points and Trevor Booker added 16 points and 11 rebounds. Joe Harris finished with 13 points for the Nets, who used a third-quarter spurt to put away the Grizzlies.
The teams were tied at 47 at the break, but the Nets opened the second half with a 22-6 run, looking much more fluid on offense than in the opening half. Brooklyn connected on nine of its first 15 shots to build the lead, outscoring the Grizzlies 32-18.
"We came out in the second half and got two big stops, scored," Brooklyn coach Kenny Atkinson said. "We picked up our energy in the second half. The first part of the third quarter, that's where I thought the game turned."
Memphis was able to get back in the game to open the final period, composing a 12-3 run. Memphis got the deficit to five points, but the Brooklyn lead was too much to overcome.
"We wanted to get out in transition and make them run," Harris said, "and I thought we did better at that in the second half."
HEAT 100, BULLS 93
Goran Dragic scored 24 points and the Miami Heat followed the lowest-scoring first quarter in team history with their highestscoring one of the season to beat the Chicago Bulls.
After scoring seven points in the first quarter, Miami had 38 in the second to take a 45-42 lead.
Wayne Ellington added 19 points, James Johnson had 15 points, seven rebounds and six assists, and Hassan Whiteside had 11 points and 10 rebounds. Jerian Grant led Chicago with 24 points. Denzel Valentine had 14 points and career highs of 13 rebounds and seven assists.
Ellington ignited the Heat after the 2-for-19 first-quarter from the field, scoring 10 points and hitting three 3-pointers as Miami shot 68.4 percent in the second quarter.
TIMBERWOLVES 119, SUNS 108
Karl-Anthony Towns had 32 points and 12 rebounds and Minnesota beat Phoenix, taking advantage of high-scoring Suns guard Devin Booker's absence.
The Suns announced shortly before the game that Booker — who scored 35 points in Phoenix's home victory over Minnesota on November 11 —would sit out because of an injured big right toe.
Jimmy Butler had 25 points for Minnesota. Mike James had a career-high 26 points for Phoenix.