National Basketball Association

Rockets 127, Grizzlies 111

Published Dec. 4, 2010 5:33 a.m. ET

foxsports

Even Rockets coach Rick Adelman was surprised by this offensive performance.

Kyle Lowry scored a career-high 28 points and matched his career best with 12 assists, leading Houston to a 127-111 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night.

Kevin Martin also had 28 points for the Rockets, who shot 60 percent from the field, including 16 of 23 on 3-pointers. Brad Miller had a season-high 23 points and Shane Battier added 12 points and five assists.

''You're always going to be surprised when you have an offense run like that,'' Adelman said, ''especially when we couldn't make a shot in shootaround. So, maybe we saved it for the right time.''

Houston has won its last six games against Memphis, all by double digits.

''I can't really explain it,'' Battier said. ''It seems like every time we play these guys it's under a different circumstance - a different motivation or a different injury we're fighting off.''

Lowry was 11 of 15 from the field and 4 of 5 outside the arc.

''We've got a lot of good shooters, and it shows,'' he said. ''I just got confidence and hit some 3s. We just felt good out there.''

The Grizzlies lost for the third time in four games, yielding a season-high point total. Their lazy defense led to open looks for Houston all night.

''Did we have one?'' Memphis coach Lionel Hollins responded when asked about the defensive effort. ''I don't think we even had one. We gave up 127 points. ... We scored 111 points, enough to win a game. But when you can't stop the other team at any point in the game, you don't have a chance.''

Rudy Gay scored 29 points and Marc Gasol had 20 for the Grizzlies. Mike Conley had 19 points and eight assists.

Courtney Lee, who scored 16 for the Rockets, said it wasn't so much a continuation of Houston's domination against Memphis as it was the team's need to build off its 109-99 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night.

''We came out here with one thing on our mind, and that's to keep winning and build off the win we had the other night,'' Lee said. ''So, we went out there and played together, and had fun at times.''

The Rockets built an early 14-point lead by hitting their first six 3-point attempts. Houston led 69-60 at halftime.

Memphis got close early in the fourth, but consecutive 3-pointers by Miller put Houston back up by double digits.

The Rockets entered the game ranked 16th in the league in 3-point shooting at 38 percent. But Battier said it was time for Houston to make a better percentage from long range.

''Eventually, if you shoot your shot, keep doing your practice routine, it will even out in the end,'' Battier said. ''We were overdue for some 3-pointers.''

Hollins expressed his frustration that none of his players seemed willing to put up any resistance to the Rockets' shooting.

''I changed lineups four or five times to see if some group could go out there and get something that would resemble trying to win the game'' he said.

NOTES: Grizzlies F Darrell Arthur returned after missing two games with a strained left groin. ... Battier, who played his first five years for Memphis, still gets cheers in pregame introductions. ... Lee also had a fan base at the game. The Western Kentucky basketball team plays the University of Memphis on Saturday, and some of the WKU fans and players attended the game to see the former Hilltopper.