NBA's best clash when Rockets visit Memphis

(SportsNetwork.com) - The Houston Rockets and Memphis Grizzlies share the best record in the NBA at 9-1 and will square off Monday at FedEx Forum.

The Rockets enter this matchup 6-0 on the road, while the Grizzlies are 5-0 at home and have ripped off 19 straight regular season wins in their building.

Both teams are riding three-game winning streaks and have the top defensive squads in the league.

Houston is first in opponents' scoring at 88.9 points per game and Memphis is right behind with 91.3 points allowed.

The Rockets squeezed out a 69-65 triumph in Oklahoma City on Sunday and James Harden's 3-pointer with 1:19 left was the difference. Harden had a game-high 19 points, Dwight Howard posted 12 and nine rebounds and Trevor Ariza scored 11 points for Houston, which shot just 28.8 percent and made only 7-of-35 from 3-point range.

"That game will not go in the NBA Hall of Fame," Rockets coach Kevin McHale said.

After visiting the Grizzlies, Houston will head home for five straight.

Memphis will put the finishing touches on a four-game homestand Monday and recorded a 95-88 victory over the Detroit Pistons Saturday night. Marc Gasol had 23 points, Mike Conley finished with 18 and Zach Randolph was a lion on the boards with a career-high 22 to go along with 17 points.

Randolph had 13 offensive rebounds, including 11 after the break.

"(Zach) works real hard," Gasol said. "He's points and rebounds because he works real hard. He deserves it."

The Grizzlies held on despite shooting 37.2 percent and had a 53-43 advantage on the glass. They are an NBA-best 46-16 in the 2014 calendar year and the home winning streak is the longest since Denver won 23 straight from Jan. 20- April 17, 2013 at the Pepsi Center.

Memphis will head north of the border next to take on the Toronto Raptors Wednesday and split four games with Houston last season. The Rockets have lost six of the past seven meetings on Beale Street.