Nets 103, Grizzlies 94: Joe Johnson scored 21 points, including 5-of-7 3-pointers, as host Brooklyn built a huge lead early and withstood a late charge to ward off Memphis.

Marcus Thornton added 20 points off the bench and Deron Williams totaled 16 points and a game-high seven assists for the Nets, who won their fourth straight game. Paul Pierce tallied 14 points and eight rebounds and Andray Blatche scored 12 points for Brooklyn, which moved over .500 for the first time all season.

Jon Leuer led the offense for the Grizzlies, scoring 19 points, while Marc Gasol added 18 and grabbed seven rebounds for Memphis, which snapped a two-game winning streak. Tony Allen pitched in with 15 points off the bench for the Grizzlies, who played without forward Zach Randolph (flu).

Brooklyn stormed ahead off the opening tip, establishing a 21-2 lead as Memphis missed 10 of its first 11 attempts from the field. The Grizzlies closed the gap with 14 unanswered points in a run that stretched into the second quarter and pulled Memphis to within 30-26, but the Nets hit the locker room at halftime with a 54-44 lead.

Brooklyn started the second half much like the first, exploding out of the break 27-9 - led by nine points from Johnson - to regain full control of the game and close the third quarter up 87-60. The Grizzlies got 12 points apiece from Leuer and Johnson in the fourth to pull to within 101-94 with 20.4 seconds remaining, but Memphis' comeback effort ran out of time and Alan Anderson sank a pair of free throws to cap the win for Brooklyn.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Nets F Kevin Garnett (back) missed his third straight game. ... Brooklyn became the first team in the NBA this season to record 12 steals or more in four straight games. ... The Nets have scored 30 points or more in the first quarter 12 times this season and have a record of 10-2 in those games.