Heat 98, Grizzlies 91
MIAMI -- The Miami Heat won its 13th game in a row, defeating the Memphis Grizzlies 98-91 Friday night at American Airlines Arena in a battle of the two hottest teams in the NBA.
The Heat streak is the second longest in franchise history. The record of 14 in a row was set during the 2004-05 season. The Heat can match that record by beating their old rivals, the Knicks, in New York on Sunday.
The Grizzlies, meanwhile, had their eight-game win streak snapped. Had they won, the Grizzlies would have set a franchise record with nine in a row.
Dwyane Wade led the Heat with 22 points and eight assists.
The Heat's LeBron James, who had just four points after three quarters, finished with 18 points, eight rebounds and 10 assists. He made just 1 of 7 shots through three quarters but finished with a 14-point fourth period.
With the Heat nursing a 90-89 lead with 24.2 seconds left, James drilled a 3-pointer from the top of the key to bury the Grizzlies.
Heat forward Shane Battier, who missed Tuesday's win over Sacramento because of a hamstring injury, returned to the lineup on Friday. He made his first three 3-pointers and finished with 14 points.
The Heat were able to succeed against a Grizzlies team that entered the game leading the Western Conference in fewest points allowed (89.5). Then again, the Heat entered as the best offensive team in the Eastern Conference (103.9).
For Miami, the win avenged a 104-86 loss to Grizzlies on Nov. 11. Wade was held to eight points on 3 of 15 shooting in that game. Memphis is still the only team to hold Miami to less than 40-percent shooting this season.
In fact, the Grizzlies had won seven of their past 10 games against the Heat, including three of four since James joined Miami.
For the Grizzlies on Friday, Marc Gasol had 24 points and nine rebounds. Zach Randolph added 20 points and nine rebounds.
But there were no heroics this time for the Grizzlies, unlike Wednesday when they matched a franchise record by rallying from 25-point deficit to beat Dallas.
NOTES: Randolph turned his left ankle when he missed a layup on the first possession of the game, but he stayed in the game. ... James, who was named the Eastern Conference Player of the Month on Friday for the fourth time this season, shot 64.1 percent from the field in February. His shooting percentage for the month was the highest for any NBA player since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar shot 65 percent in March of 1983. ... After leading the Heat to a 12-1 record in February, Erik Spoelstra was named the conference's Coach of the Month. The Heat's average margin of victory was 12.8 points, and five of the wins were on the road, which had been a problem earlier in the season. ... The Grizzlies' current hot streak coincides with the acquisition of Tayshaun Prince in the trade that sent Rudy Gay to Toronto. The Grizzlies won nine of their first 11 games since the deal was made. ... Memphis' Lionel Hollins, who was named the Western Conference Coach of the Month, credited his players and staff. "I know I'm the head coach, and I get the credit, and I get the blame," he said. "But our guys have been playing extremely well. You have to give them their due with all the chaos and turmoil we've had -- not only with trade rumors and trades but with deaths in our organization (assistant general manager Kenny Williamson, vice president of basketball operations Dana Davis). It has been a trying season. But it's sweeter when you accomplish what you do when you've had so much adversity."
