MEMPHIS — The Memphis Grizzlies dealt Golden State their first defeat in more than a month Tuesday, snapping the Warriors NBA winning streak at 16 games with a 105-98 triumph.

 

Spanish center Marc Gasol scored 24 points and grabbed seven rebounds for Memphis in the battle between the top two teams in the league.

It was the first Golden State defeat since a Nov. 11 setback against reigning NBA champion San Antonio.

 

Memphis clamped down defensively early in the second quarter, forcing 11 consecutive Golden State misses. The Warriors didn’t score a point in the period until the 6:49 mark as the Grizzlies racked up 20 points to build a 14-point advantage.

 

They never relinquished the lead, although the Warriors twice pulled within two in the final frame.

 

“Just too much to overcome,” said Warriors coach Steve Kerr said of his team’s attempt to rally.

 

“That’s a great team over there and we had to fight really hard just to get back to where we were. We were close but we couldn’t quite get over the hump.”

 

Zach Randolph scored 17 points with 10 rebounds, Mike Conley supplied 17 points and four steals and Vince Carter nailed four three-pointers as he chipped in 16 points for the Grizzlies, who have won five straight.

 

Klay Thompson netted 22 points for Golden State. Stephen Curry contributed 19 points, six assists and four steals, but never really caught fire.

 

“Our biggest problem tonight was our execution offensively,” Kerr said. “We were scattered. We weren’t moving early in the game and then we started moving but we were sort of careless with the ball. We had key turnovers at really important times.”

 

The Warriors, again playing without injured David Lee and Andrew Bogut, had trimmed the deficit to two when the Grizzlies scored seven straight points to rebuild their cushion to 97-88 with 3:05 to play.

 

A Curry layup cut the margin to 99-96 with 38.3 seconds remaining.

Conley floated in a shot for Memphis before Golden State’s Marreese Speights knocked down a jump shot with 25.3 seconds left.

 

But Gasol made a brace of free throws and Curry was off-target with two three-point attempts to seal the Warriors’ fate.

 

Heat 95, Knicks 91: Miami guard Dwyane Wade, who was a pre-game doubt due to an undisclosed illness, scored a game-high 28 points in a contest that was delayed for a half hour in the first quarter due to a leaky roof.

 

The Nets were led by center Mason Plumlee, who had a season-high 21 points.

Pelicans 119, Jazz 111: New Orleans forward Anthony Davis, playing with a protective jacket to shield bruised ribs that kept him out of the previous contest, scored a game-high 31 points to lead a comeback victory.

 

The Pelicans trailed by 14 points early in the fourth quarter and had not won a game in eight previous attempts this season when losing at the final break.

 

However, Davis came alive down the stretch as the Pelicans out-scored the Jazz 41-22 in the fourth to seal the win.

 

Mavericks 107, Knicks 87: Dallas placed five players in double figures, led by Dirk Nowitzki’s 16 points, to east past New York.

 

Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony led the Knicks with 26 points and guard Tim Hardaway Jr added 14 but New York failed to score at least 100 points for the 21st time this season.

 

They are 3-11 at home and have lost by as many as 20 points on three occasions.

 

Wizards 109, Timberwolves 95: Guard John Wall had 21 points and 17 assists, and swingman Rasual Butler had 18 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter as Washington held off Minnesota.

 

Butler went 7-of-8 from the field in the final period with three three-pointers for the Wizards, who are winners of five in a row and nine of 10 overall. — Agencies