Sat Jan 12 01:25:39 2008

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Ellis, Warriors hold off Grizzlies

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Oakland, CA (Sports Network) - Monta Ellis scored 27 points and Baron Davis dished out a career-high 19 assists to go with 20 points of his own, as the Golden State Warriors built a sizeable early lead and then held on for a 116-104 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies at ORACLE Arena.

Ellis opened the game on fire, hitting his first 11 field-goal attempts, and finished 12-for-15 from the floor. Davis also pulled down six rebounds before eclipsing his previous career-best for assists with a dish to Patrick O'Bryant for a slam in the final minute.

Stephen Jackson had 22 points and Al Harrington went for 19 and nine rebounds for Golden State, which opened up a 23-point third-quarter lead on its way to winning for the second time in the last three outings.

Pau Gasol finished one point shy of a career high with 43 for Memphis, while Juan Carlos Navarro added 20 points.

Rudy Gay and Hakim Warrick added 10 each for the Grizzlies, losers of three straight overall and five in a row against the Warriors.

Golden State raced out to a 10-0 lead in the opening two minutes and led 33-25 after one quarter. The Warriors pushed the lead to as many as 20 in the second, and it was a 67-54 advantage at the half, as C.J. Watson nailed a corner three just before the break.

An 18-6 Warriors run - capped by Harrington's dunk in transition - stretched the margin to 90-67 with 4:45 to go in the third. Gasol helped trim the lead back to 14 before Jackson and Davis hit consecutive three-balls to close the period with the score 99-79.

Memphis made one final run in the fourth, with Kyle Lowry's three cutting the Warriors lead to 105-97 with 5:42 to go. Gasol scored inside to make it a six- point game with under five minutes to go, but Davis hit a fadeaway jumper and Jackson spun inside for a hoop, pushing the lead back to 10.

The Grizzlies pulled back within nine once more before Kelenna Azubuike's three with under three minutes remaining effectively put the game away at 112-100.

Game Notes

Ellis' first miss didn't come until he had a jumper rim out with 9:07 left in the fourth...Warriors center Andris Biedrins had made at least 50 percent of his shots in 30 straight games, but went 4-for-13 from the floor to snap the streak...Gasol's 43 points were a season-high...Golden State has won 10 of its last 13 home games...Memphis' bench outscored the Warriors', 37-20...Azubuike finished with nine points and four rebounds.