DESMOND Bane and Dillon Brooks each scored 21 points as the Memphis Grizzlies won their fifth straight game — all of them without ever trailing — beating the host Miami Heat (105-90) on Monday night.
Steven Adams added 17 points and a game-high 16 rebounds for the Grizzlies, whose winning streak has coincided with the knee injury that has sidelined star guard Ja Morant for five games.
Heat reserve Tyler Herro led all scorers with 24 points on 11-for-19 shooting. Kyle Lowry added 17 points and eight assists.
Miami, which lost for the fourth time in five games, got star forward Jimmy Butler back from a tailbone injury only to lose him again.
Butler, who had missed four straight games, took a hard fall to that same body part with 8:15 left in the first quarter. He remained in the game but then departed for good with 8:04 left in the third.
He finished with 10 points, five rebounds and four assists. But Butler was hit with a technical after he got injured. He wanted a foul on Jaren Jackson, Jr. but didn’t get the call.
Memphis also suffered an injury as rookie first-round pick Ziaire Williams sprained his left ankle in the second quarter and did not return.
Miami missed nine of its first 10 shots, falling behind 20-6. By the end of the quarter, though, Miami cut its deficit to 34-25.
Memphis stretched its lead to 50-35 with 5:09 left in the second quarter. But Miami closed its deficit to 60-49 at half time.
De’Anthony Melton of the Grizzlies released a free-throw-line jumper just before the first-half buzzer and the ball bounced off the backboard and rim after the horn sounded.
For the first half, Memphis shot 52.3% from the floor, including 7-for-13 on 3-pointers (53.8%), and 7-for-7 on the foul line.
Memphis stretched its lead to 82-67 by the end of the third quarter, and the Grizzlies cruised from there.
For the game, the Grizzlies outrebounded Miami 47-36. Memphis shot 42.7% from the floor, including 13-for-33 on three-pointers (39.4%).
Miami shot 46.1% from the floor, including 6-for-22 on three-pointers (27.3%).
The Heat have lost three straight home games. — Reuters