So, does that mean the franchise is ready to fire Marc Iavaroni after his first year of his first head coaching job ever?

"I categorically deny that," Grizzlies' general manager Chris Wallace said. "There's no heir apparent. We support Marc and the job he's done so far. It's been a tough season. But Marc and the staff have done an excellent job keeping this team together."

Iavaroni and his staff are under contract through the 2009-10 season.

Still, the Daily News reported that the Grizzlies were pursuing Brown to replace Iavaroni after the regular season ends. Brown, 67, an executive vice president with the Philadelphia 76ers, has been out of coaching since his 23-win season with the New York Knicks in 2005-06. The Knicks fired Brown with four years left on a $50 million deal, and he collected $18.5 million in a settlement.

Though the Grizzlies will miss the playoffs for the second straight year, Wallace said he and Iavaroni have been pleased that the relatively young team hasn't quit.

"Our effort is there every night," Wallace said. "We practice hard. We play hard. We're a very young team, and we're getting better."

GRIZZLIES 114, LAKERS 111: Kobe Bryant feasted on the Grizzlies again, scoring 53 points, but the rest of the Lakers went home hungry Friday as the Grizzlies picked up a rare road victory. The Grizzlies, who are 6-30 on the road and 2-20 away from home against Western Conference teams, got an expected big effort from Rudy Gay (28 points), but also received a shocking performance from Darko Milicic, who had 22 points and 12 rebounds. Milicic even got a steal on the Lakers' last possession to seal the win. It was the third time Bryant has scored at least 50 against the Grizzlies. He had 60 on March 22, 2007, and 56 on Jan. 14, 2002, both victories.