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Ja Morant recorded a triple-double as the Memphis Grizzlies halted their slide with a comeback win over Indiana as Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 50 points in Milwaukee’s NBA win over New Orleans.
The Bucks were already on their way to a blowout when Antetokounmpo hit a wide open 3-pointer with 1:38 left to bring his tally to 50 points in Milwaukee’s 135-110 win over the Pelicans.
It was one of two string-to-string victories of the night, with the Cleveland Cavaliers leading the entire way in a 122-99 rout of the Los Angeles Clippers.
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Morant scored 27 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out 15 assists as the Grizzlies got back into the win column after losing five straight on the road.
“We needed it,” Morant said.
The hangover from that disastrous trip was evident in the Grizzlies’ slow start. They trailed by as many as 19 points and were down 12 at halftime after the Indiana reserves outscored the Grizzlies’ bench 30-5 in the first half.
A 20-5 run in the third quarter had Memphis even it up. After the Pacers scored five straight points, the Grizzlies responded with an 18-6 run to take a 12-point lead, never trailing in the fourth quarter.
Bennedict Mathurin, the sixth pick in the 2022 draft, led the Pacers with 27 points and eight rebounds.
Jaren Jackson Jr. added 28 points for the Grizzlies, who are two games behind the Denver Nuggets atop the Western Conference.
“We had to make sure,” Morant said in a postgame television interview.
“We were playing with energy, but I thought we were giving up on some plays. They were scoring a bit too easily. We had to turn it around.”
GIANNIS SCORE 50 POINTS IN 30 MINUTES
In Milwaukee, two-time NBA MVP Antetokounmpo turned in a ruthlessly efficient performance connecting on 20 of his 26 shot attempts, including three of four from three-point range, his 50 points in just 30 minutes in the court they left him only five out. his career record he set earlier this month in a win over the Washington Wizards.
He added 13 rebounds as the Bucks posted a fourth straight win.
“I think 50 for 26 (shots) is impressive,” Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said.
Jrue Holiday scored 17 and Brook Lopez added 15 for the Bucks, who have reached the 130-point mark in five of their last seven games.
Antetokounmpo signaled his intentions early on, scoring 29 points in the first half as the Bucks overwhelmed a Pelicans team that lost leading scorers Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum.
OSMAN’S MEMORABLE NIGHT
In Cleveland, the Cavaliers welcomed Donovan Mitchell back from a two-game injury absence with a resounding 122-99 win over the Los Angeles Clippers, whose five-game winning streak was halted with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George sitting in the second. back to back night
As the Cavs celebrated Turkish Heritage Night, Turkish forward Cedi Osman came off the bench to lead Cleveland with 29 points, matching his career high.
Lebron LOSES IT for not committing a foul | 00:45
Osman connected on 11 of his 13 attempts, including all seven of his shots from 3-point range.
“We took it seriously tonight and we played a great game,” Osman said, just over a week after the Cavs were embarrassed by a Golden State Warriors team playing without their regular starters.
SCISSORS FOR HORNET STINGS
In the only other game of the day, the Charlotte Hornets cooled down the Miami Heat, posting a 122-117 victory that ended Miami’s three-game winning streak.
The Heat were a team on the rise after a week that included an impressive win over Eastern Conference leaders Boston.
They led by as many as 13 points in the third quarter, but the Hornets, led by 31 points from Terry Rozier and 27 from PJ Washington, managed to turn the tide.
Rozier hits a couple of buzzers | 00:36
Jimmy Butler led the Heat with 28 points, hitting 11 of 14 shots from the ground with seven rebounds.
But the Heat’s defense wasn’t up to scratch in the fourth quarter, when Charlotte’s LaMelo Ball scored 13 of his 19 points.
—AFP
NBA SCORES TODAY
miami heat 117- CHARLOTTE HORNETS 122
Indiana Pacers 100- THE GRAYS OF MEMPHIS 112
Los Angeles Clippers 99 – CLEVELAND RIDERS 122
New Orleans Pelicans 110 – MILWAUKEE DOLLARS 135