MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Memphis Grizzlies re-signed forward Darius Miles yesterday despite a threat of legal action by the Portland Trail Blazers.

The Trail Blazers sent an e-mail to executives around the NBA this week concerning Miles. On Friday, team president Larry Miller said the Blazers took action because of talk that teams were considering signing the forward to hurt Portland financially.

Miles is coming back from major knee surgery. If he plays two more games, Portland will be on the hook for the $18 million left on his contract. That would count against its salary cap and force the team to pay luxury tax.

Memphis, which waived Miles on Wednesday, signed him to a 10-day contract. General manager Chris Wallace insists Miles can be a plus.

"Darius did everything asked of him in his initial stint with the Grizzlies and was well received by his teammates," Wallace said. "In the last Minnesota game, his length, experience, rebounding, shot blocking and defense on one of the elite post scorers in the league, Al Jefferson, were all impressive. Our young team is short on frontcourt players and can use a veteran with his attributes."

Miller sent an e-mail to fellow NBA executives Thursday night, aware that Miles was set to clear waivers the next day.

"We were hearing a lot of rumblings and rumors that there were teams out there planning to sign Darius Miles specifically and maliciously to hurt our organization," Miller said on a conference call Friday. "This was our way of responding to that and letting folks know that we were not going to take it sitting down."

Miller defended his tactics, even after the players' union announced plans to file a grievance against the Trail Blazers.

"Our purpose here was not in any way to keep Darius from being able to play," Miller said. "If he can come back and help a team to win and play at a level on the court that helps the team, we have no problem with that at all."

Before the Blazers played Golden State last night, Portland general manager Kevin Pritchard said the Grizzlies' move does not change the team's position.

"We've always said this isn't anything to do with Darius," Pritchard said. "This is about if another team is trying to hurt us, then we have some recourse."

The union said it will "vigorously defend" Miles' rights.

"We are shocked at the brazen attempt by the Portland Trail Blazers to try to prevent Darius Miles from continuing his NBA career," players' association director Billy Hunter said in a statement.

"Their attempt to intimidate the other 29 NBA teams by threatening frivolous litigation merely for signing this capable NBA veteran is a clear violation of the anti-collusion and other provisions of our collective bargaining agreement."

YESTERDAY'S RESULTS

JAZZ 99, PISTONS 82

SALT LAKE CITY — Mehmet Okur scored 22 points against his former team, Paul Millsap finished with nine points and seven rebounds, ending his streak of 19 straight double-doubles, and Utah made it eight straight victories over Detroit, which last beat the Jazz in March 2005.

BOBCATS 92, WIZARDS 89

WASHINGTON — Raja Bell scored 19 points and Charlotte, trailing for most of the game, took the lead for good on Shannon Brown's 3-pointer with 2:42 left, and held on when Washington's Mike James missed a layup, and Andray Blatche missed a tip-in.

TIMBERWOLVES 106, BUCKS 104

MINNESOTA — Randy Foye scored 10 of his 11 points in the fourth quarter and Minnesota rallied from 13 points down in the second half to beat Milwaukee to win five in a row for the first time since December 2005.

ROCKETS 96, KNICKS 76

HOUSTON — Luis Scola had 18 points and 11 rebounds, Rafer Alston added 17 points and six assists and the Houston, still without Tracy McGrady (sore knee) and Ron Artest (sprained ankle) took advantage of New York's poor shooting (35 percent from the field).

THUNDER 109, BULLS 98

CHICAGO — Kevin Durant scored 28 points, Nick Collison added a season-high 21, including a three-point play to break a 96-all tie in overtime as visiting Oklahoma City rallied to tie it at 94-94 in regulation, before beating Chicago.

TRAIL BLAZERS 113, WARRIORS 100

PORTLAND, Ore. — LaMarcus Aldridge scored 26 points, and Brandon Roy added 19 in his return after missing four games with a hamstring injury to help Portland hand short-handed Golden State its fifth straight loss.