Ja Morant recorded 26 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds to carry the short-handed Memphis Grizzlies to a 122-99 victory over the visiting Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday.
The triple-double was the 12th of Morant’s career.
The Grizzlies, who snapped a two-game losing streak, also got 19 points and nine rebounds from Santi Aldama. Jaylen Wells and Scotty Pippen Jr. scored 16 points apiece, Jaren Jackson Jr. added 13 points, Jake LaRavia had 11 points and 10 rebounds, and Zach Edey produced 10 points and eight boards.
Giannis Antetokounmpo paced the Bucks with 37 points and 11 rebounds. Brook Lopez scored 12 points, and Bobby Portis had 11.
Memphis placed all its starters in double figures. Aldama and Wells started for Marcus Smart and Desmond Bane, who missed the game with injuries sustained in the loss Wednesday to Brooklyn. Smart injured his right ankle and Bane sustained an oblique strain.
Milwaukee, playing on the road for the fourth time in its five games this season, lost its fourth straight after opening the season with a 124-109 win at Philadelphia.
The Bucks didn’t have an answer for Morant, who missed most of last season because of suspension and injury.
Behind Morant, the Grizzlies built a 19-point lead in the first quarter, as they scored 24 points in the paint during the opening 12 minutes. In a stretch that began midway through the quarter, the Grizzlies scored 14 consecutive points to move ahead 36-17.
At the half, Morant nearly had a triple-double. His 21 points, nine assists and eight rebounds allowed Memphis to take a 70-48 advantage into the break.
“Hearing the guys tell me I’m what makes them go, I just came out and tried to be aggressive … make the right plays,” Morant said. “We got it going early and were able to sustain the lead.”
In the third quarter, the Grizzlies moved ahead 95-65 following a driving layup by Jackson. The 30-point lead was the largest of the early season for Memphis.
The Grizzlies shot 51 percent in the half and had 38 paint points. Antetokounmpo had 17 points and nine rebounds at the half.
Overall on the night, Memphis outshot Milwaukee 52.4 percent to 42.7 percent and had a 56-38 rebounding advantage.
–Field Level Media