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MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -- Deron Williams scored 27 points and Ronnie Brewer added 21, leading the Utah Jazz to a 101-91 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night.
The Jazz won their seventh straight against the reeling Grizzlies, who have lost five in a row and 13 of 15. The victory snapped a five-game road skid for Utah, which was outscored 64-45 in the second half of a 114-93 loss at Oklahoma City on Tuesday.
Grizzlies forward Darius Miles, who signed a 10-day contract Saturday, made his 10th appearance of the season Friday, placing the remaining $18 million of his salary back on Portland's payroll. The Trail Blazers sent out an e-mail earlier this month warning of possible legal action against any team signing the free agent, but the Grizzlies signed Miles. He finished with 10 points and seven rebounds in 14 minutes.
Utah led 26-21 at the end of the first quarter and never trailed the rest of the game. But Memphis trimmed a 20-point deficit in the third quarter to five, 96-91, late in the fourth.
Williams, though, prevented a comeback. With 1:23 left, Williams made a pull-up 3-pointer for a 99-91 advantage and Memphis misfired on its final three shots of the game.
Rookie guard O.J. Mayo led the Grizzlies with 23 points and Hakim Warrick and Mike Conley came off the bench to score 15 apiece. Marc Gasol added 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Memphis forward Rudy Gay, averaging 18.8 points per game, continued his recent slump. He was held to five points and has scored only 15 points in the past two games.
The Grizzlies led 5-2 at the start, a rarity during their five-game losing streak. Memphis had not held a lead of more than one point during the previous four games.
But Utah went on a 13-0 run to build a 19-9 lead. Williams had seven points during the run. The Grizzlies got no closer than five points in the first half.
Gay, held to 10 points in a loss to Cleveland Tuesday, had just four points in the first two quarters. Mayo, held to a season-low six points against Cleveland, had 11 points before halftime.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
