Top Ad
I DIG Radio
www.idigradio.com
Listen live to the best music from around the world!
I DIG Style
www.idigstyle.com
Learn about the latest fashion styles and more...

Morant posts first triple-double as Grizz drop Wiz

Written by 
Published in Basketball
Sunday, 09 February 2020 18:12

WASHINGTON -- The Memphis Grizzlies believe their resilience helps them overcome rough shooting nights like Sunday.

Having Ja Morant helps, too.

Morant had 27 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds for his first career triple-double, and the Grizzlies shook off their 3-point woes in a 106-99 victory over the Washington Wizards.

Memphis remained eighth in the Western Conference while improving to 27-26. That's one victory more than some sportsbooks projected the Grizzlies to earn all season.

"I feel like we all here just have a chip on our shoulder," said Morant, who is now those same sportsbooks' favorite in the NBA Rookie of the Year race. "Like I said before, they had us picked to win 26 games this year. That's a chip right there, and we just passed that tonight. But the chip won't leave."

Morant scored 10 of his points in the fourth quarter for Memphis, which closed the game on a 22-8 run after trailing for most of the second half.

Kyle Anderson added 16 points and Jaren Jackson Jr. had 14 to go with 11 rebounds for the Grizzlies, who won despite shooting 5 of 32 from beyond the arc.

Jonas Valanciunas had 18 rebounds, part of a 62-50 edge the visitors held on the boards.

"It took some gutsy stuff out there," Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins said. "This is, I like to think, kind of a defining moment for our guys having to kind of fight through one of the toughest offensive nights for us."

Bradley Beal scored 26 points for Washington, which led by as many as 12 early but shot 4 of 26 in the fourth quarter.

Rui Hachimura had 12 points and 11 assists as the Wizards dropped three games behind Orlando for the final playoff spot in the East.

Moritz Wagner had 19 points off the bench, while Davis Bertans added 15 on a night Washington shot nearly as bad as Memphis beyond the arc (7 of 33) and worse overall (34 of 101).

"Sometimes we come down and we can't get stops, and we can't make shots either," Beal said afterward. "So it's like, something's got to give."

Morant was the instigator throughout the Grizzlies' late run. He found Anderson underneath for a layup to tie it at 93 with 5:33 remaining before hitting two free throws to give Memphis its first lead of the half 26 seconds later.

Clarke's 3-pointer on his only attempt behind the arc stretched the lead to five before Morant found Anderson inside again to make it 102-95.

Morant's 3 from the right elbow with made it 105-96 with 44 seconds remaining, sending much of the Washington crowd to the exits.

"That guy is young, but he plays like a five-year All-Star," Wizards coach Scott Brooks said of Morant. "He just controls the game. ... He's a problem."

TIP-INS

Grizzlies: Missed their first seven 3-point attempts. ... F/C Jordan Bell and C Gorgui Dieng were available, but did not play. Memphis picked up Bell from Houston and Dieng from Minnesota at the trade deadline. ... Jackson recorded his third double-double of the season.

Wizards: Traded from the Los Angeles Clippers Thursday, G Jerome Robinson's first points since came on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer that gave Washington its largest lead 30-18 at the end of the first quarter. ... Hachimura's double-double was the third of his career.

VOLUME SHOOTERS

Washington and Memphis each had more than 100 shot attempts. The Grizzlies' total of 102 was one shy of a season high.

WAITERS WAIVED

The Grizzlies waived G Dion Waiters on Sunday, three days after acquiring him from Miami Heat in a three-team trade also involving Minnesota.

Waiters had been suspended three times by the Heat this season, including a 10-game ban following a drug-related incident on a team plane.

The Grizzlies also received F Justise Winslow from Miami and Dieng from Minnesota, while sending F Andre Iguodala, F Jae Crowder and F Solomon Hill to the Heat.

UP NEXT

Grizzlies: host Portland on Wednesday.

Wizards: host Chicago on Tuesday.

More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports

Read 367 times

Soccer

Atléti mark Simeone's 700th game with late win

Atléti mark Simeone's 700th game with late win

Diego Simeone's 700th game in charge of Atlético Madrid ended in a late 2-1 win over Deportivo Alave...

Sources: Olof Mellberg to become St.Louis boss

Sources: Olof Mellberg to become St.Louis boss

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsFormer Aston Villa and Sweden defender Olof Mellberg has signed a m...

Arteta backs Saka amid Kane drop-outs comment

Arteta backs Saka amid Kane drop-outs comment

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsMikel Arteta has hit back at anyone questioning Bukayo Saka's commi...

2026 FIFA


2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPIC

UEFA

2024 PARIS OLYMPIC


Basketball

NBA follows NFL in warning players on burglaries

NBA follows NFL in warning players on burglaries

EmailPrintThe NBA is urging its players to take additional precautions to secure their homes followi...

Sources: Zion (hamstring) not close to returning

Sources: Zion (hamstring) not close to returning

EmailPrintNew Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson has undergone multiple treatments on his left ha...

Baseball

Hays, Finnegan, Rodgers among new free agents

Hays, Finnegan, Rodgers among new free agents

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsNEW YORK -- Outfielder Austin Hays and right-hander Kyle Finnegan -...

Judge giving Soto space amid free agency frenzy

Judge giving Soto space amid free agency frenzy

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsNEW YORK -- Aaron Judge is one of the few people on Earth who can r...

Sports Leagues

  • FIFA

    Fédération Internationale de Football Association
  • NBA

    National Basketball Association
  • ATP

    Association of Tennis Professionals
  • MLB

    Major League Baseball
  • ITTF

    International Table Tennis Federation
  • NFL

    Nactional Football Leagues
  • FISB

    Federation Internationale de Speedball

About Us

I Dig® is a leading global brand that makes it more enjoyable to surf the internet, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information.  Today I Dig® attracts millions of users every month.r

 

Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: www.idig.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Affiliated