MEMPHIS, Tenn, April 5 (Ticker) -- In a matchup that tested each team's pride, Pau Gasol and the Memphis Grizzlies showed plenty of it against the Houston Rockets.

Gasol continued his push for NBA Rookie of the Year with a career-high 32 points as the Grizzlies never trailed and cruised to a 99-81 victory over the Rockets.

"I'm very happy because we had such a big lead and won the game," Gasol said. "I'm proud of the whole team. It always feels good to win a game big. The guys looked for me all night and it felt really good when I shot the ball."

Both teams are playing for lottery picks. Memphis (20-55) is on pace for the fifth 60-loss season in franchise history, while Houston (27-48) is approaching 50 losses for the first time since 1983-84.

NBA TV highlights from Rockets-Grizzlies: 56k | 300k J-Will had a monster night with 23 points and 16 dimes. Victor Baldizon NBAE/Getty Images

Houston, which was pushed around by San Antonio on Thursday, experienced the same fate against Memphis in the first half. Gasol scored the first four points of the game and had 18 at halftime as the Grizzlies led, 60-39.

"It's been a tough day at the office," Rockets coach Rudy Tomjanovich said. "We're so depleted and worn down. You can't get caught in depression. Winning is better and we know that. So we use this a learning situation."

"Sometimes it is like that," said Rockets guard Steve Francis. "Sometimes you show up to play in the first half and we didn't. The Grizzlies came out loose with Jason (Williams) coming out knocking down shots. We wanted to jump on them early. We have to come out ready to play and I don't think all of us did."

Gasol made 12-of-22 shots and collected 14 rebounds as he surpassed his previous best of 31 points on January 10 against Phoenix.

Gasol had 10 points seven minutes into the contest and had his way all night against Houston's front line.

The Grizzlies outscored the Rockets, 50-24, in the paint and outrebounded them 56-47.

The Rockets made things competitive late in the third period and early in the fourth. They trailed 75-66 after three quarters following a pair of foul shots by Francis.

But after Cuttino Mobley's jumper made it 77-68 just 16 seconds into the fourth, Gasol scored six points on a dunk and a pair of layups that pushed the lead to 88-74 with six minutes to play.

Houston went scoreless for just over three minutes while Memphis was putting away the game. When the drought finally ended with 2:34 left, the deficit was 97-77.

"They came out gunning in the second half and made a run," Memphis rookie Shane Battier said. "We absorbed their run and put together one of own. It feels great to get a win because we have played so many close ones. Tonight we worried about keeping the lead and that is a good kind of worry."

The Grizzlies have won 14 games this season by six points or less.

Williams added 23 points and dished out 16 assists while Battier scored 21 points for the Grizzlies.

Francis, who refused to play with the Grizzlies after being drafted by them in 1999, led Houston with 22 points on just 9-of-23 shooting.