MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- Back when the Grizzlies were a lower-tier NBA team and were new to Memphis, Kobe Bryant was a young superstar. So the Los Angeles Lakers games here were always marked on the home team's calendar and the stands were always full of fans flying Lakers colors.

There were still Lakers fans in the house and many wore Bryant's No. 24, but for the Grizzlies, Sunday night's game at FedExForum was huge because a loss in Charlotte on Saturday had dropped their record to 16-16.

Unfamiliar territory for a team coming off five straight playoff appearances.

"The message after the game last night was, 'either we're going to be an above .500 team at 8 tonight or we're going to be a below .500 team,' " Memphis coach Dave Joerger said after the Grizzlies had cruised to a 112-96 victory. "It was a big crowd. It was the Lakers. (But) it doesn't matter who you play. There's so much parity in the league."

Still, the Lakers (5-26) proved to be the needed tonic for the Grizzlies (17-16) to avoid a three-game losing streak and dropping below .500 for the first time since they were 5-6 on Nov. 15.

"We just wanted to win," said center Marc Gasol, who scored 16 points with six assists. "Last night we played two and a half quarters of good basketball and it's not enough."

The Lakers entered the game allowing a league-worst 107.2 points per game and their opponents were shooting 46.2 percent from the floor -- 26th in the NBA. The Grizzlies hit on 45 of 80 shots for 56.2 percent and handed out a season-high 30 assists, led by backup point guard Mario Chalmers' seven assists to go with 11 points and five rebounds.

Starting point guard Mike Conley led Memphis with 19 points and five assists, forward Jeff Green finished with 17 points, power forward Zach Randolph had 16 points off the bench and guard Courtney Lee scored 13 points.

"You share the ball, you move your body, you screen, and everybody gets touches," Gasol said. "The game is just more fun when you share it. That's the way it should be every time."

Ahead by 13 points at halftime, Memphis stretched the lead to 22 points late in the third quarter and was up 92-74 going into the fourth. The Grizzlies extended the lead to as many as 25 points. They made 6 of 16 treys for 37.5 percent.

"We need to focus a lot more," Lakers coach Byron Scott said of the team's defense. "Seems like we are stepping too slow. I don't think it's physical to be honest with you, because tonight the effort was there. From the mental standpoint, we just look like we're fried."

The Lakers made 32 of 84 attempts for 38.1 percent and went 8 of 29 from 3-point range for 27.6 percent. Bryant led Los Angeles with 19 points, playing all of the first and third quarters, and not at all in the second and fourth quarters.

Bryant was bothered by a sore right knee and said: "Honestly, I wasn't going to play. But I got on the bus and saw all the fans. I would feel really awful if I didn't come in here and play."

Forward Larry Nance Jr. posted a double-double for the Lakers with 17 points and 11 rebounds. Guard Jordan Clarkson scored 12 points, power forward Julius Randle scored nine points with 13 rebounds off the bench and reserve guard D'Angelo Russell had 10 points.

"I like the way (Nance) has been developing," Bryant said. "He's been working on his game quite a bit, working on his shot quite a bit. You saw it tonight, we trusted him. He was extremely active. I thought he looked strong."

Memphis is now 8-2 on the second night of back-to-back games.

"Really proud of our guys," Joerger said. "They're not letting go."

NOTES: The Grizzlies made just 11 of 21 free throws (52.4 percent) in Saturday's 98-92 loss at Charlotte. Once the NBA's leader in free-throw percentage the Grizzlies have slid to third at 80.4 percent. But Memphis coach Dave Joerger seemed more upset about the outcome in light of getting three defensive stops in a row 10 times. "When you do that, you should win," he said. ... No player in NBA history has scored more points against the Grizzlies than the Lakers' Kobe Bryant. He has scored 1,584 points, which is 200 more than any other player. Bryant's 60-point game on March 22, 2007, remains the most points ever scored in a game against the Grizzlies and is a FedExForum record by an NBA player. ... Lakers PF Julius Randle ranks 13th in the NBA in rebounds with 9.4.