Ja Morant totaled 23 points and nine assists as the visiting Memphis Grizzlies fended off several comeback attempts by the New York Knicks to record a 120-108 victory Wednesday night.
The Grizzlies won for the 17th time in 21 games on a night when Morant’s shot was not consistently falling. Morant shot 9 of 27 from the field and missed 12 straight shots at one point but hit two clutch baskets down the stretch.
Ultimately, Morant failed to extend his franchise record of seven consecutive 30-point games but he had plenty of help.
Jaren Jackson Jr. led Memphis with 26 points and added 10 rebounds while rookie Ziaire Williams added a career-best 21. Reserve De’Anthony Melton contributed 14 and Desmond Bane finished with 13 while shooting 4 of 18.
Brandon Clarke chipped in 10 and Steven Adams collected 13 rebounds as the Grizzlies led by as many as 19 in the first half, shot 43.1 percent and hit 16 3-pointers.
Evan Fournier hit eight 3-pointers and led all scorers with 30 points, but the Knicks lost for the seventh time in nine games. RJ Barrett added 11 of his 23 in the third quarter and Julius Randle finished with 18 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists before being ejected in the final minute.
Mitchell Robinson contributed 14 points, 11 rebounds and eight blocked shots but New York never led again after scoring the first points of the game and shot 43.2 percent.
Melton hit four 3-pointers as the Grizzlies got 20 points from reserves, shot 55.6 percent and held a 35-27 lead after the opening quarter. Memphis held a 64-52 lead by halftime after Morant finished off an alley-oop dunk with 26.7 seconds left.
New York got the deficit down to 76-70 on Robinson’s dunk with 6:14 left in the third quarter but Memphis held a 92-79 lead into the fourth on Bane’s 3-pointer with 31.9 seconds remaining.
New York was within 104-98 after Fournier hit his eighth 3-pointer with 5:40 to go. Morant missed 12 straight shots until slicing by Randle and Fournier for a layup that gave Memphis a 109-98 edge with 4:37 left.
It was 112-106 after Fournier hit a floater with 1:19 to go but the Grizzlies finished it when Bane hit an uncontested 3-pointer after the pass from Williams caromed off Barrett’s foot with 68 seconds left.
–Field Level Media