Grizzlies defeat Rockets, 99-80
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-01-18 14:11

Stromile Swift scored 18 points and Jason Williams added 16 to lead the Memphis Grizzlies to their ninth win in 10 games, 99-80 over the Houston Rockets on Monday night.

Houston Rockets' Yao Ming of China, left, brings down a rebound as Memphis Grizzlies' Lorenzen Wright, right, looks on during the third quarter on Monday, Jan. 17, 2005, in Memphis, Tenn. Memphis defeated Houston 99-80. [AP]

Swift connected on six of nine shots as Memphis moved ahead of the Rockets by a half game for third place in the Western Conference's Southwest Division.

Pau Gasol scored 14 points and grabbed nine rebounds, and Shane Battier and James Posey each scored 10 for the Grizzlies.

Tracy McGrady led the Rockets with 28 points on 10-of-19 shooting, while David Wesley finished with 13 points. The loss snapped Houston's four-game winning streak.

Swift scored nine points in the first 6 minutes of the final period, when Memphis built its lead to 20 and never led by less than 16 the rest of the way.

The Grizzlies used a 10-0 run over the first and second quarter to build a 54-47 halftime lead. Memphis shot 64 percent in the first period and hit its first four shots of the second quarter.

Memphis increased its lead to 10 points in the second quarter, but the Rockets went on a 7-0 run behind six points from McGrady. Houston's leading scorer had 17 points in the first half.

Memphis opened the second half with another 10-0 run to build its biggest lead at 64-47, and maintained a 73-60 advantage going into the final period.

The Grizzlies' reserves outscored the Rockets' 44-18 for the game.

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