Sacramento Kings

With the 2024-25 NBA season just days away, the Western Conference is locked, loaded, and ready for battle. The offseason drama has settled, rosters are finalized, and every team is gearing up for what promises to be a fierce and competitive race. From reigning contenders to rising underdogs, the West is stacked with talent and ambition. Let&rsquo;s break down the top 15 teams in the West as we head into this thrilling new season&mdash;no frills, just what you need to know.
<ol>
<li> Minnesota Timberwolves The Timberwolves are turning a new page after trading away longtime cornerstone Karl-Anthony Towns for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo and are now fully embracing Anthony Edwards as the franchise cornerstone. The T-Wolves&rsquo; mix of young talent and veteran leadership gives them a balanced roster around Edwards. Rudy Gobert remains a defensive anchor as a 4-time DPOY, Edwards is primed for a superstar leap, and if the supporting cast, including Jaden McDaniels and Naz Reid, steps up, the Wolves could be ready to take the top spot in the West.</li>
<li> Oklahoma City Thunder The Thunder&rsquo;s rebuild is no longer a long-term project; they&rsquo;re ready to compete now. However, due to Isaiah Hartenstein&rsquo;s injury to start the season, we&rsquo;re placing the Thunder at no.2 for now. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is already an All-NBA guard and arguably a top 5 player in the league. Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams figure out to be the dynamic inside-out duo around SGA. Add in Hartenstein and Alex Caruso, the two new acquisitions this offseason with their capable role players Lu Dort, Cason Wallace, Aaron Wiggins, and Isaiah Joe, this young core is as versatile as it is exciting. OKC&rsquo;s depth and versatility on both ends of the floor could propel them into serious title contention.</li>
<li> Phoenix Suns The Suns have loaded up for a title run, and with Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal leading the charge, Phoenix has one of the most dangerous offensive trios in the league. They have added their most significant hole which is the PG spot with a solid pick up in Tyus Jones, and they have one of the best offensive coaches in the league in Mike Budenholzer. The Suns&rsquo; questions lie in their depth and health, but if they can manage those concerns, they&rsquo;re built for a championship push. Their offensive firepower is unmatched, and if they click, the Suns will be a team no one wants to face.</li>
<li> Memphis Grizzlies Memphis has weathered their offseason storms and enters the season with a gritty identity intact. Ja Morant is back after his injury and suspension last year and he will now play with last season&rsquo;s addition Marcus Smart. Together with the continued growth of Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane, the Grizzlies are primed to be competitive and come back from their prime two seasons ago where they won 50+ games. Memphis&rsquo; defensive dominance paired with offensive firepower ensures they can be one of the top teams in the West with a deep bench with solid role players.</li>
<li> Denver Nuggets After falling short to Minnesota in 7 games last playoffs, the Nuggets will enter the season with their core mostly intact. Nikola Jokić remains the most dominant center and the best player in the game. With Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. healthy, the Nuggets are poised for another deep run. But perhaps their biggest loss this season was losing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to free agency and that might be a hit so they&rsquo;re currently ranked at no.5 to start the year. It could be a lot to ask for young players like Christian Braun or Julian Strawther to fill the void left by KCP, so it will be interesting to see how Denver handles his loss this season.</li>
<li> Dallas Mavericks Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving experiment is back after a successful season last year, where Dallas entered the NBA Finals for the first time since 2011 &ndash; when they won the title. The two stars can mesh to create one of the league&rsquo;s most potent offenses and with the continued internal development of young players like Dereck Lively, the Mavs can build on that Finals appearance. With newcomer Klay Thompson set to provide historic spacing for their dynamic duo, Dallas has the talent to climb the standings and challenge the top teams in the West.</li>
<li> New Orleans Pelicans The Pelicans&rsquo; fate will always hinge on Zion Williamson&rsquo;s health. When Zion plays, New Orleans is a force to be reckoned with. Now paired with newly-acquired point guard Dejounte Murray, they have a balanced attack capable of competing with any team in the conference with Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum still on the fold. If Zion stays on the floor, the Pelicans could find themselves rising up the ranks, but his availability remains the biggest X-factor.</li>
<li> Golden State Warriors The Warriors are clinging to their championship window with Stephen Curry still playing at an elite level. The addition of capable veterans in Kyle Anderson, Buddy Hield, and DeAnthony Melton gives them depth and personnel that can play in their offense to surround the core of Curry and Draymond Green for their foundation. Health and age are concerns, but if their veterans stay intact, Golden State can&rsquo;t be counted out.</li>
<li> Sacramento Kings The Kings struggled a bit last season after making their long-awaited playoff return two seasons ago, and they&rsquo;re looking to build on that momentum. They have signed DeMar DeRozan and he should bring a new wrinkle to their motion and three-hunting offense. DeRozan&rsquo;s mid range ability should be a welcome addition to Sacramento&rsquo;s offense. De&rsquo;Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis still lead an explosive offense, but defense remains a question mark. Sacramento&rsquo;s high-flying, fast-paced style makes them a regular-season juggernaut, but they&rsquo;ll need to tighten up defensively if they want to make a deep playoff run.</li>
<li> Los Angeles Lakers The Lakers are counting on LeBron James and Anthony Davis staying healthy for a full season. With the front office standing pat on making moves this offseason, the Lakers&rsquo; success will hinge on their superstar duo. If LeBron and AD can avoid injury, Los Angeles will be a formidable playoff team, but health is always a looming concern with this group.</li>
<li> Houston Rockets The Rockets added veterans Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks to guide their young core last season and this season could be the time for them to step up. They finished strong last year behind defensive minded coach Ime Udoka and the result could be a team that surprises many. Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun have star potential, and younger players Jabari Smith Jr. and Amen Thompson add even more excitement. The Rockets also drafted Reed Sheppard with the 3rd pick and Houston is hoping to lay the foundation for success and could push for a Play-In spot this season.</li>
<li> San Antonio Spurs Victor Wembanyama enters his second season, and the Spurs are fully embracing their rebuild around the budding star. While Wembanyama showed flashes of brilliance as a rookie, San Antonio is still in the development phase. But with the addition of Chris Paul, the Spurs now have a capable PG to feed Wemby and the other guys, possibly unlocking a new level to their games. With their young core, the Spurs may not be a playoff team yet, but their future looks incredibly bright with Wembanyama leading the way.</li>
<li> Los Angeles Clippers The Clippers&rsquo; fortunes rest on the health of Kawhi Leonard&mdash;again. After losing Paul George for nothing, Leonard is left to fend LA off by himself in their new arena at Intuit Dome. Gone are the days when LA has the talent to compete with anyone as they&rsquo;re just but a shell of themselves. Leading the way for the injured Leonard will be a 34-year-old James Harden and that might be too much to ask of the aging superstar. However, if Kawhi can return healthy and he can avoid the injury bug, the Clippers will be in the playoff mix, but that&rsquo;s a big &ldquo;if&rdquo; for this squad.</li>
<li> Portland Trail Blazers With Damian Lillard long gone, the Blazers will fully commit another season to their rebuild. Scoot Henderson, Anfernee Simons, and Shaedon Sharpe form a promising young core, but Portland will likely spend this season focusing on player development. While they won&rsquo;t be in playoff contention, the Blazers are positioning themselves well for the future, with an eye on growth and improvement.</li>
<li> Utah Jazz The Jazz are continuing their rebuild, with Lauri Markkanen emerging as a cornerstone player. While they have some intriguing young pieces like Taylor Hendricks and Keyonte George, Utah isn&rsquo;t ready to compete just yet. This season will be about development and finding which young players can be part of their long-term plans. The Jazz may not win many games this year, but they&rsquo;re building toward a brighter future.</li>
</ol>

Let’s break down the top 15 teams in the West as we head into this thrilling new season.

2024-2025 NBA Western Conference Power Rankings: A race at the top to start the year

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) &mdash; Luke Kennard made a franchise-record 10 3-pointers to match his career high with 30 points, Desmond Bane added 25 points and the Memphis Grizzlies clinched a playoff spot after building a 31-point halftime lead and coasting to a 151-114 victory over the Houston Rockets on Friday night.
Ja Morant scored 18 points and had eight assists in his second game after serving an eight-game league-imposed suspension after he posted a video in which he is shown waving a gun at a Denver-area strip club. Morant, as he did in his first game back Wednesday also against the Rockets, again came off the bench. He entered with 5:08 left in the first quarter.
Jaren Jackson Jr. also scored 18 points and had seven rebounds and two blocks for Memphis, which made a franchise-best 25 3-pointers and had the second-most points in team history. The Grizzlies won their 11th straight at home and moved within three games of idle Denver, which holds the top spot in the Western Conference.
Tari Eason had 21 points to lead Houston, while Kevin Porter Jr. and Jabari Smith Jr. each had 20.
CELTICS 120, PACERS 95
BOSTON (AP) &mdash; Jayson Tatum scored 34 points, setting a franchise record with his 40th 30-point game this season, and Boston rolled past Indiana.
Tatum passed Hall of Famer Larry Bird, who had 39 30-point games during the 1987-88 season.
Jaylen Brown added 27 points and seven rebounds, and Derrick White finished with 22 points and nine assists for the Celtics, who have won four of five and improved to 27-9 at home this season.
Pacers All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton had 20 points, nine assists and six rebounds in his first game back from a six-game absence with a combination of a bruised left knee and sprained right ankle. Myles Turner added 20 points and six rebounds.
LAKERS 116, THUNDER 111
LOS ANGELES (AP) &mdash; Anthony Davis had 37 points and 14 rebounds, Dennis Schr&ouml;der added 13 of his 21 points in the second half and the Los Angeles Lakers got a vital victory for their playoff hopes.
Lonnie Walker scored 20 points in an impressive return to the rotation for the Lakers, who have won three straight to move even with Minnesota in seventh place in the Western Conference standings. With Davis leading the way on both ends of the court, Los Angeles (37-37) also reached .500 for the first time this season after holding off the Thunder despite the injury absences of LeBron James and D&rsquo;Angelo Russell.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey scored 27 points apiece for Oklahoma City, which lost for only the fourth time in 12 games down the stretch. The Thunder (36-38) dropped into a tie with Dallas for 10th in the West.
WARRIORS 120, 76ERS 112
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) &mdash; Jordan Poole scored 33 points and swished a key 3-pointer with 1:18 to play off a pretty pass by Draymond Green, Stephen Curry added 29 points and eight rebounds and Golden State rallied past Joel Embiid and Philadelphia.
Embiid checked back into the game with 8:26 left and scored 13 straight on the way to 46 points, but the Warriors came back from 11 down for their ninth straight home win &mdash; and one of the most important yet as they fight for playoff positioning.
Embiid shot 13 for 23, made 19 of 22 free throws and had nine rebounds, eight assists and two steals. He helped Philadelphia take an 88-79 lead going into the fourth. He had his streak of scoring 30 or more points in a franchise-record 10 straight games snapped in Wednesday&rsquo;s 116-91 win at Chicago but made up for it.
WIZARDS 136, SPURS 124
WASHINGTON (AP) &mdash; Corey Kispert scored 26 points and sank six 3-pointers, Deni Avdija added 21 points and grabbed 11 rebounds and Washington pulled away for a win over San Antonio.
Delon Wright added 24 points and Kristaps Porzingis 23 for the Wizards, who missed three-time All-Star Bradley Beal (left knee sprain) for a second game but snapped a four-game skid.
Washington sank 15 of 30 attempts beyond the arc one game after setting season lows for number and percentage of 3s made in Wednesday&rsquo;s loss to West-leading Denver.
Keldon Johnson scored 30 points for San Antonio, which played without 2022 ninth-overall draft pick Jeremy Sochan (sore right knee) for the third time in four games.
RAPTORS 118, PISTONS 97
TORONTO (AP) &mdash; Pascal Siakam scored 32 points, Chris Boucher had 19 points and 13 rebounds and Toronto routed Detroit for its eighth win in nine home games.
Fred VanVleet added 18 points and O.G. Anunoby 17 as Toronto completed its first four-game sweep of Detroit since the 2017-18 season. The Raptors also improved to 7-0 when holding opponents below 100 points
Jaden Ivey scored 20 points and Marvin Bagley III and James Wiseman each had 14 for Detroit, but the Pistons lost for the 16th time in 17 games.
HORNETS 117, MAVERICKS 109
DALLAS (AP) &mdash; P.J. Washington Jr. scored 28 points and Gordon Hayward added 25 as undermanned Charlotte built a 21-point lead and held on to beat Dallas.
The Hornets, who were eliminated from the Eastern Conference playoff race last week, earned a split of a back-to-back after losing by 19 points on Thursday night at New Orleans and finishing with only seven healthy players.
Luka Doncic had 34 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Mavericks, who lost their third straight and for the sixth time in eight games. Kyrie Irving scored 18 points after missing one game with a toe injury. He and Doncic played together for the first time since March 8. The Mavericks are 3-7 with both in the lineup.
BUCKS 144, JAZZ 116
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) &mdash; Grayson Allen scored a season-high 25 points to lead Milwaukee past Utah.
Allen made five 3-pointers and shot 57% from the field to help the Bucks lead wire-to-wire. Giannis Antetokounmpo had 24 points and 11 assists, and Pat Connaughton scored 22 points while making six 3-pointers. Jrue Holiday added 18 points and seven assists, and Brook Lopez had 17 points, 14 rebounds and seven blocks.
Milwaukee made 22 3-pointers and shot 56% from the field to fuel its third straight victory.
Simone Fontecchio scored a career-high 26 points in his third career start to lead the Jazz.
BULLS 124, TRAIL BLAZERS 96
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) &mdash; Zach LaVine scored 33 points and Chicago dominated short-handed Portland.
Nikola Vucevic added 23 points and 15 rebounds for the Bulls, who have won six of their last eight games and sit in 10th place in the Eastern Conference standings with nine regular-season games remaining.
Portland, which has lost seven of its last eight games, was led by rookie Shaedon Sharpe, who matched his career high with 24 points. The Blazers&rsquo; lone win during the recent stretch came against the Utah Jazz 127-115 on Wednesday. Portland was at 13th in the Western Conference standings, well out of the playoff picture.
Regular Portland starters Damian Lillard (calf tightness), Jusuf Nurkic (sore right knee), Jerami Grant (quad contusion) and Anfernee Simons (sore right foot) did not play against the Bulls.
KINGS 135, SUNS 127
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) &mdash; Kevin Huerter led all scorers with 29 points and Sacramento beat Phoenix.
Huerter added nine rebounds and five assists for the Kings (44-29), who are in third place in the Western Conference behind Denver and Memphis. Domantas Sabonis finished with 27 points, nine rebounds and nine assists for the Kings.
Sacramento&rsquo;s De&rsquo;Aaron Fox exited the game with 7:16 left in the third quarter with right hamstring soreness. Fox finished with 19 points in 21 minutes.
Devin Booker finished with 32 points for the Suns (38-36). Terrence Ross scored a season-high 30 points off the bench and hit six 3-pointers.

A recap of Friday night's slate of NBA action includes Memphis punching its ticket to the postseason.

Grizzlies earn playoff berth as Kennard makes 10 3-pointers

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) &mdash; Rookie David Roddy scored a career-high 24 points, including 17 points in the fourth quarter, as the Memphis Grizzlies rallied for a 112-108 victory over the short-handed Dallas Mavericks on Saturday night.
Roddy connected on 7 of 8 shots in the fourth, including 3 of 4 from outside the arc. Desmond Bane led the Grizzlies with 25 points, while Jaren Jackson Jr. finished with 14 points.
Tim Hardaway Jr. lead the Mavericks with 23 points, while Jaden Hardy finished with 22. Josh Green added 21 points for Dallas.
Two of the NBA&rsquo;s biggest stars &mdash; the Mavericks&rsquo; Luka Doncic and Memphis&rsquo; Ja Morant &mdash; were absent from the game. Doncic has a left thigh strain, while Morant is away from the team after posting a video last weekend in which he appeared to be displaying a gun at a Denver-area strip club.
That eliminated the top scorers from the two Western Conference teams. Then Dallas&rsquo; Kyrie Irving was a late scratch with right foot soreness.
But Dallas stayed close in the first half, despite Memphis shooting 55%. And the Mavericks would overtake Memphis in the third. Hardaway had 13 points in the period as Dallas outscored the Grizzlies 33-21.
And the Mavericks continued to extend the lead to open the fourth.
TIP-INS
Mavericks: Rookie Jaden Hardy started his first NBA game at G. ... Defeated the Grizzlies 137-96 in Dallas&rsquo; home opener this season. ... Are 12-21 on the road.
Grizzlies: Jones recorded his 2,000th career assist in the second quarter. ... Snapped a four-game losing streak to Dallas.
MORE ADVICE FOR MORANT
The troubles with Morant continue to be the talk of the league, whether its questions from the media or responses from coaches. The Grizzlies guard is expected to be away from the team at least two more games.
Prompted by a question, Mavericks coach Jason Kidd said sometimes young players are given high status too early. He said it is important for Morant to have someone to talk to without any negativity and provide the right advice.
&ldquo;Hopefully, with the time away from the team, he will become stronger on and off the floor, and he will be able to share his story to become a leader and a mentor,&rdquo; Kidd said.
UP NEXT
The two teams play each other in Dallas on Monday.

Rookie David Roddy scored a career-high 24 points, as the Grizzlies rallied for a 112-108 win over the short-handed Mavs on Saturday.

Roddy leads fourth-quarter rally as Grizzlies beat Mavericks

DENVER (AP) &mdash; Nikola Jokic had 18 points, 18 rebounds and 10 assists for his 25th triple-double this season to lead the Denver Nuggets over the Memphis Grizzlies 113-97 Friday night in a showdown of the top two teams in the Western Conference.
Denver won the season series 2-1 and holds a six-game lead &mdash; five in the loss column &mdash; over Memphis for the top seed in the Western Conference. Sacramento is seven games back.
Michael Porter Jr. scored 26 points and Jamal Murray scored half of his 22 points in the fourth quarter for the Nuggets, who are 25-0 this season when Jokic has a triple-double.
&ldquo;Since the All-Star break, it feels like every night&rsquo;s a playoff-type game,&rdquo; Denver coach Michael Malone said. &ldquo;We&rsquo;ve played Memphis twice, Cleveland, the Clippers, and our guys showed up.&rdquo;
Ja Morant had 27 points and 10 assists for the Grizzlies despite wearing a face mask due to a nasal fracture suffered at Houston on Wednesday night. Desmond Bane had 19 points, Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 15 and Xavier Tillman Sr. had 11 points and 10 rebounds.
&ldquo;We did a lot of great things for three quarters and then just kind of fell apart,&rdquo; Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins said.
The game was tied at 80 after three quarters, but the Nuggets outscored the Grizzlies 33-17 in the fourth. Murray had two layups, made a pair of free throws and fed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope for a corner 3-pointer to give the Nuggets a 96-86 lead.
Murray&rsquo;s 3-pointer and Porter&rsquo;s four-point play &mdash; which secured Jokic&rsquo;s 101st career triple-double &mdash; made it 105-86.
&ldquo;Anybody can make a shot, but we&rsquo;re getting stops, we were getting out and running, the team was flowing. Everyone was being unselfish,&rdquo; Murray said of the fourth quarter.
Memphis shot just 7 of 20 in the final 12 minutes.
&ldquo;In the fourth, we got some good shots and they just weren&rsquo;t falling, and they started hitting more shots,&rdquo; Luke Kennard said.
Denver missed its first 11 shots from 3-point range and didn&rsquo;t get its first make until late in the second quarter.
MAN BEHIND THE MASK
Morant won&rsquo;t have this particular mask for long. The guard will have one fitted to his face by the time the team arrives in Los Angeles for Sunday&rsquo;s game.
&ldquo;This one will be a temporary one that is kind of a standard operating one,&rdquo; Jenkins said. &ldquo;Luckily we&rsquo;ll get one that fits him a little bit more, to the mold of his face and gives him a little more comfort out there.&rdquo;
TAKE A SEAT
Memphis forward Dillon Brooks was hit with his 16th technical foul of the season with 5:45 left in the game. Brooks earned a $5,000 fine and a one-game suspension.
CLARKE INJURED
Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke left in the final seconds of the first quarter with a lower left leg injury. Clarke missed a free throw and started limping as he went up the court and fell at half-court. He was helped to the locker room without putting weight on his left leg.
TIP-INS
Grizzlies: Have held Denver to 42 and 50 points in the first half of their last two games. ... C Steven Adams missed his 16th straight game with a right knee sprain.
Nuggets: C Thomas Bryant was helped to the bench after suffering an injury under Memphis&rsquo; basket in the third quarter. Malone said after the game Bryant could have returned if needed.
UP NEXT
Grizzlies: At the Clippers on Sunday night.
Nuggets: Host the Toronto Raptors on Monday night.

Nikola Jokic had 18 points, 18 rebounds and 10 assists to lead the Denver Nuggets over the Memphis Grizzlies 113-97 Friday night.

Nikola Jokic’s triple-double lifts Nuggets over Grizzlies 113-97

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) &mdash; Ja Morant had 23 points and seven rebounds as the Memphis Grizzlies raced to an early lead and coasted to a 112-94 victory over the Denver Nuggets on Saturday night in a matchup of the Western Conference&rsquo;s top teams.
Tyus Jones finished with 17 points, and Luke Kennard, Xavier Tillman and Dillon Brooks scored 12 apiece for Memphis, which trails Denver by six games in the conference race.
Nikola Jokic led the Nuggets with 15 points and 13 rebounds, and Jeff Green added 12 points. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Christian Braun each scored 11 points as Denver&rsquo;s four-game winning streak came to an end. Denver was hampered by a 40% shooting game. The Nuggets&rsquo; starters were 17 of 47 from the field in the game.
Denver&rsquo;s 94 total points was a season low.
&ldquo;One of the biggest priorities was transition defense,&rdquo; Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins said. &ldquo;I thought our urgency was phenomenal.&rdquo;
The matchup of the West leaders had Denver entering while playing well and Memphis struggling, dropping six of its last 10 games and losing its grip on the second spot as the Sacramento Kings rose to third.
But Memphis came out with more intensity and defensive pressure, a continuation of the Grizzlies first post-All-Star break game &mdash; a last-minute loss at Philadelphia.
&ldquo;They just played more physical than us,&rdquo; Green said. &ldquo;They treated it like a playoff game. We didn&rsquo;t. We came out lackadaisical. They got a good lead, and we couldn&rsquo;t bounce back.&rdquo;
Nuggets coach Michael Malone added: &ldquo;I felt like going into this game that (the Grizzlies) were going to approach this as a playoff game. We approached it as a game 61 or 62.&rdquo;
The Grizzlies finished with 19 fast-break points and 60 points in the paint.
&ldquo;They ran off misses. They ran off makes. They were sprinting. We just didn&rsquo;t match that,&rdquo; Malone said.
Memphis converted 56% of its shots in the first half and was 9 of 21 form outside the arc. Meanwhile, the Nuggets offense struggled, shooting 38% from the field and making only 3 of 16 3-pointers. Ten turnovers added to the Nuggets&rsquo; misery.
Memphis led by as many as 29 points in the first half and carried a 66-42 advantage at the break.
Memphis opened the second half with eight straight points, pushing the lead to 32 points. That catapulted the Grizzlies to a 94-62 advantage through three quarters. At that point, Memphis was still shooting better than 53%.
With Denver facing the second half of a back-to-back Sunday, Malone sat his starters in the fourth quarter.
The win gave Memphis a two-game cushion over third-place Sacramento after the Kings&rsquo; 176-175 win over the Clippers in double-overtime Friday night. But despite the rout of the Nuggets, Memphis didn&rsquo;t consider the win a statement game.
&ldquo;I think it&rsquo;s too early to say,&rdquo; Jones said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a good win. They&rsquo;re a good team, but it&rsquo;s also one game. Don&rsquo;t try to look too much into it.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Nuggets: Denver&rsquo;s 42 points were a season low for the first half. The previous low was 43 against Minnesota on Feb. 5 ... The Nuggets defeated the Grizzlies 105-91 on Dec. 20 in Denver. The three-game season series wraps up March 3 in Denver.
Grizzlies: Tillman made all six of his shots in the game. ... C Steven Adams missed his 13th straight game with a right knee sprain. ...Desmond Bane had 10 points but was 4 of 13 from the field.
TAKES YOUR BREATH AWAY
Morant had one of his highlight layups after a scramble for the ball at midcourt,. After he scored, he expressed his excitement. &ldquo;I kind of yelled,&rdquo; Morant said, &ldquo;and got light-headed. So I probably won&rsquo;t do that again.&rdquo;
UP NEXT
Nuggets: Host the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday.
Grizzlies: Entertain the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday.

Ja Morant had 23 points as the Grizzlies raced to an early lead and coasted to a 112-94 victory over the Nuggets on Saturday night.

Ja Morant, Grizzlies beat Nuggets in matchup of West leaders

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Best of Basketball News: Spotlighting our top content from 2022

DENVER (AP) &mdash; Nikola Jokic had 13 points, 13 rebounds and 13 assists for his second straight triple-double to lead the Denver Nuggets over the Memphis Grizzlies 105-91 on Tuesday night in a matchup between the top two teams in the Western Conference.
Jokic followed up his 40-point, 27-rebound, 10-assist performance Sunday night with his sixth triple-double of the season and 82nd of his career. He joined Wilt Chamberlain as the only players to put up those stats in a single game. Chamberlain did it four times.
Aaron Gordon had 24 points and Bruce Brown scored 16 for Denver. Rookie Christian Braun scored 13 points in the first start of his career.
&ldquo;It doesn&rsquo;t change much. You just got to be ready for the plays out of the huddle, but it didn&rsquo;t change anything,&rdquo; Braun said. &ldquo;Same mindset, I have come in to the same exact thing. So it&rsquo;s pretty easy.&rdquo;
Braun&rsquo;s defensive assignment was Ja Morant, who led Memphis with 35 points and 10 assists.
&ldquo;I thought I was doing a good job on Ja and I looked up in the third quarter and he had 30,&rdquo; Braun said.
The Grizzlies, now tied with the Nuggets in the standings, have lost two in a row following a seven-game winning streak.
&ldquo;You&rsquo;re playing for first place in the Western Conference -- meaningless in the middle of December &mdash; but that&rsquo;s what we&rsquo;re playing for tonight,&rdquo; Denver coach Michael Malone said. &ldquo;That team is a top five in offensive and defense, so we&rsquo;re going to have to bring our A game tonight. And I felt that Bruce, Christian, (Kentavious Caldwell-Pope), Aaron and Nikola did that.&rdquo;
Denver, which never trailed, shot 59% and built a 21-point lead in the first quarter. Jeff Green&rsquo;s running dunk over Ziaire Williams made it 37-14 and prompted a Memphis timeout 22 seconds into the second.
&ldquo;Insane. His new nickname is Vino,&rdquo; Gordon said of the 36-year-old Green. &ldquo;Ages like fine wine.&rdquo;
Memphis got within nine in the third period, but the Nuggets went back ahead by 20 and led by 13 entering the fourth. The Grizzlies made it 92-84 midway through the fourth but Denver used a 13-3 run to put it away.
&ldquo;Two games in a row we don&rsquo;t come out in the first quarter and we pay the price for it,&rdquo; Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins said. &ldquo;We were getting some good shots early, we just need to convert those and give ourselves a better start to the game.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Grizzlies: F Desmond Bane missed his 17th straight game with a sprained big toe on his right foot. ... Jaren Jackson Jr. had three blocks in his first nine minutes and finished with five, three shy of his career best set Dec. 12 against Atlanta.
Nuggets: Malone said Michael Porter Jr. is increasing his workload while rehabbing a heel injury and could return Friday against Portland or Sunday against Phoenix. ... Jamal Murray (sore left knee) was inactive. ... Hall of Fame QB Peyton Manning and former wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders sat courtside. Both played on the Denver Broncos&rsquo; Super Bowl 50 title team.
&nbsp;

Nikola Jokic had 13 points, 13 rebounds and 13 assists to lead the Denver Nuggets over the Memphis Grizzlies 105-91.

Jokic's latest triple-double leads Nuggets past Grizzlies

DALLAS (AP) &mdash; Luka Doncic dribbled behind his back before an <a href="https://twitter.com/BallySportsSW/status/1584009079403401216?s=20&amp;t=X5fIRYIE_N0ugt_4t-vTiQ">alley-oop pass to new pick-and-roll partner Christian Wood</a> for a one-handed dunk.
Moments later the Dallas superstar delivered his <a href="https://twitter.com/BallySportsSW/status/1584009479993315328?s=20&amp;t=X5fIRYIE_N0ugt_4t-vTiQ">final assist to Tim Hardaway Jr. for a punctuating 3-pointer</a> in a home-opening party for Mavericks.
Never mind what Doncic did early.
The young Slovenian scored 21 of his 32 points in the first quarter, and the Mavericks rode a hot start to a 137-96 rout of the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday night.
&ldquo;It's incredible. I don't even know what to talk about,&rdquo; Wood said of Doncic after getting 25 points and 12 rebounds in his home debut following an offseason trade that brought the 6-foot-10 center from Houston.
&ldquo;The things that he does on the offensive end, the passes he makes, how he gets everybody set up, it's amazing.&rdquo;
Ja Morant scored the first six Memphis points, but the first bucket from someone else didn't come until the 4:30 mark of the first quarter as the Grizzlies trailed 39-17 going to the second.
Morant finished with 20 points a night after a 49-point showing in a victory at Houston gave him 83 points through two games.
The Grizzlies were trying for their first 3-0 start in five years, but instead ended up on the wrong end of the biggest blowout in the season's first five days at 41 points.
The Mavericks led by 25 points in the first, and the 22-point margin after the quarter matched the lead the 2022 Western Conference finalists blew in a 107-105 loss at Phoenix to open the season.
There was no risk of a repeat for Dallas in a meeting of two West playoff qualifiers from last season, with those last two of Doncic's 10 assists late in the third quarter finishing off a showy night for Dallas.
Doncic shouted and flexed for emphasis in the lane after feeding Wood's one-handed slam, then the three-time All-Star beat the third-quarter buzzer with the pass to Hardaway for a corner 3 and 99-71 lead.
&ldquo;He&rsquo;s playing the game at a different level right now,&rdquo; coach Jason Kidd said, &ldquo;kind of like where he picked up last season where he ended playing at an extremely high level.&rdquo;
Dallas put its best defenders on Morant, but used plenty of help to make the young sensation's paths to the rim difficult. Morant was limited to 12 shots (six makes) and four assists, going 8 of 8 on free throws.
&ldquo;I think a great team played great, and we didn&rsquo;t play great,&rdquo; Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins said, ending his postgame session with reporters after that one question.
TIP-INS
Grizzlies: Desmond Bane scored 14 points, and Tyus Jones had 10. ... Memphis has lost four in a row against Dallas since winning the first meeting last season.
Mavericks: Doncic had at least 20 points in the first quarter for the third time in the regular season. His personal record is 28 against the Los Angeles Clippers last season the same day Dallas traded his former European sidekick, Kristaps Porzingis. ... Hardaway scored 16 points, and Spencer Dinwiddie had 15.
EARLY LUKA
Doncic had little trouble getting his shots early, going 8 of 10 in the first, including 3 of 4 from 3-point range with some easy buckets, while adding three assists. He finished 12 of 23 and had seven rebounds.
&ldquo;I thought Luka and those guys set the tone in the first quarter by the paint touches,&rdquo; Kidd said. &ldquo;We got good looks, make or miss.&rdquo;
ALL IN
The blowout allowed the Mavericks to repeat what they did a year ago in the home opener when every active player on the roster got into the game. The only one who didn't score was rookie Jaden Hardy, who was 0 of 3 from the field. Tyler Dorsey scored nine points in four minutes.
UP NEXT
Grizzlies: Host Brooklyn on Monday night.
Mavericks: At New Orleans on Tuesday night.
___
More AP NBA: <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nba">https://apnews.com/hub/nba</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/AP_Sports">https://twitter.com/AP_Sports</a>

Luka Doncic scored 21 of his 32 points in the first quarter, and the Mavericks rode a hot start to a 137-96 rout of the Grizzlies.

Doncic, Mavs have fast start, rip Griz 137-96 in home opener

HOUSTON (AP) &mdash; Ja Morant scored 49 points and hit five 3-pointers to lead the Memphis Grizzlies to a 129-122 victory over the Houston Rockets on Friday night.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
4️⃣9️⃣ points for <a href="https://twitter.com/JaMorant?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JaMorant</a> Fish, Brevin, and Pete discuss the big night from big 12. <a href="https://t.co/V0YFQ3v64v">pic.twitter.com/V0YFQ3v64v</a>
&mdash; Bally Sports: Grizzlies (@GrizzOnBally) <a href="https://twitter.com/GrizzOnBally/status/1583650851784372229?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 22, 2022</a></blockquote>

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Morant carried the team on a night Desmond Bane and Tyus Jones struggled. Bane made just 3 of 16 shots for 14 points and Jones was 4 for 13 with 11 points.
The Rockets led by 16 in the first half before the Grizzlies used a big run to start the third quarter and take the lead.
A basket by Brandon Clarke put Memphis up by two points before Garrison Mathews and Jabari Smith Jr. made back-to-back 3-pointers to put Houston up 108-104 with about nine minutes to play.
Morant scored five points in a 10-0 spurt that gave Memphis a 118-110 lead with six minutes left.
Houston made five points with a 3-pointer from Eric Gordon to get within five points with about two minutes to go. But Morant made a jump shot a few seconds later to extend the lead to 125-118.
Jalen Green, the second pick in the 2021 draft, led the Rockets with 33 points. But he struggled after halftime and scored just 13 points in the second half. Alperen Sengun added 23 points for the Rockets, who fell to 0-2 this season.(backslash)
Morant had another great game after scoring 34 points in the opener to lead Memphis to a 115-112 overtime victory over the Knicks.
He made his first five 3-point attempts and didn&rsquo;t miss until he threw up a shot late in the fourth quarter to avoid a shot- clock violation.
Houston led by eight at halftime before the Grizzlies opened the second half with an 18-9 run to take an 80-79 lead with about eight minutes remaining in the third quarter.
Morant had nine points in that span and Bane capped it with a 3-pointer.
The Grizzlies remained up by one a couple of minutes later after a dunk by Morant before Green made a 3-pointer to put Houston on top 87-85.
Houston trailed by 3 later in the third before scoring the last eight points of the quarter, with a 3-point play by Tari Eason, to take a 100-95 lead into the fourth.
TIP-INS
Grizzlies: Memphis made 19 of 42 3-pointers. &hellip; Bane had seven assists and six rebounds. &hellip; John Konchar had 17 points and made three 3-pointers.
Rockets: Smith, the third overall pick in this year&rsquo;s draft, had 10 points after scoring 17 in his NBA debut Wednesday. &hellip; Kevin Porter Jr. scored 18. &hellip; Bruno Fernando left the game in the fourth quarter with left knee soreness.
UP NEXT
Grizzlies: At Dallas on Saturday night.
Rockets: At Milwaukee on Saturday night.

Ja Morant scored 49 points and hit five 3-pointers to lead the Grizzlies to a 129-122 victory over the Rockets.

Ja Morant scores 49 points, Grizzlies beat Rockets 129-122

Nekias Duncan previews the Mavericks, Rockets, Grizzlies, Pelicans and Spurs ahead of the 2022-23 NBA campaign.

2022-23 NBA Season Preview: Southwest Division

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) &mdash; Duncan Robinson scored 29 points to lead the Miami Heat to a 111-108 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night.
Robinson shot 7 for 11 from the field, including 5 for 7 on 3-pointers. Jamal Cain, an undrafted rookie who played his last college season at Oakland University, scored 19 points, and Nikola Jovic &mdash; the 27th overall pick in the draft &mdash; scored 13 points as the Heat played the game with their reserves.
Dillon Brooks led Memphis with 18 points, while Ja Morant and Desmond Bane each scored 17 with four assists.
The Heat, playing on the road for the second night of a back-to-back, sat their starters, including Jimmy Butler, Kyle Lowry and Bam Adebayo.
Meanwhile, Memphis was at full strength, except for forward Jaren Jackson Jr., who is out for a couple of more months recovering from a stress fracture in his right foot.
While the Grizzlies played their regular starters, there were some reserves who took the night off, tightening the rotation. Bane played 28 minutes, while Morant and Brooks logged 26 minutes each.
The Heat took their lead with a rally spanning the second and third quarters and held on at the end when both teams had bench players in the game. Memphis missed a pair of 3-point attempts to tie the game in the closing 10 seconds
CELTICS 112, HORNETS 103
In Greensboro, North Carolina, Jaylen Brown scored 19 points, Derrick White finished with 18 points and six assists to lead Boston.
Justin Jackson added 16 for the Celtics, and Payton Pritchard scored 15. Noah Vonleh had 14 points and 13 rebounds.
LaMelo Ball had 23 points and nine assists to lead the Hornets, and Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 18 points on 7-for-14 shooting. Terry Rozier added 14 points as Charlotte remained winless in three preseason games.
The Celtics sat some of their starters, including Jayson Tatum, Al Horford and Marcus Smart. However, Blake Griffin &mdash; signed this week &mdash; finished with seven points and nine rebounds in 16 minutes in his Celtics debut.
MAGIC 110, MAVERICKS 105
Top draft pick Paolo Banchero scored 19 points and Terrence Ross added 16 to led visiting Orlando.
Banchero, the 6-foot-10 forward out of Duke, shot 6 for 13 from the field and had five rebounds. Mo Bamba had 13 points and seven rebounds for the Magic.
Christian Wood scored 23 points on 8-for-12 shooting. Luka Doncic had 16 points in 18 minutes, making 6 of 8 shots from the field, and also had five assists.
KNICKS 131, PACERS 114
Obi Toppin scored 24 points on 10-for-14 shooting to lead host New York.
Toppin was 4 for 7 on 3-pointers as the Knicks improved to 2-0 in the preseason. RJ Barrett scored 18 points, while Jalen Brunson and Immanuel Quickley finished with 17 points each.
Tyrese Haliburton led the Pacers with 20 points. Bennedict Mathurin, the sixth overall pick in last summer&rsquo;s draft, had 19 points and Buddy Hield added 13 points.
BULLS 131, NUGGETS 113
DeMar DeRozan scored 22 points on 9-for-15 shooting to lead host Chicago.
Coby White and Javonte Green added 15 points each for the Bulls, while Nikola Vucevic finished with 14 points and seven rebounds.
Bones Hyland had 24 points for Denver, while Michael Porter Jr. scored 20 points. Aaron Gordon added 14 points.
ROCKETS 116, RAPTORS 100
Tari Eason, the seventh overall pick in last summer&rsquo;s draft out of LSU, had 24 points and eight rebounds to lead host Houston.
Jalen Green added 23 points for the Rockets, while Kevin Porter Jr. had 15.
Pascal Siakam scored 18 points for the Raptors. O.G. Anunoby scored 13 points, but missed all five of his 3-point attempts. Dalano Banton had 14 points. Gary Trent Jr., Precious Achiuwa and Chris Boucer each scored 10 points in the game.
PELICANS 107, PISTONS 101
Jose Alvarado scored 28 points and Zion Williamson added 13 for host New Orleans.
Naji Marshall had 14 points on 5-for-12 shooting, including just 3 for 12 on free throws for the Hornets. Alvarado shot 12 for 18 from the field.
Saddiq Bey led the Pistons with 23 points, while Isaiah Steward and Jaden Ivey finished with 14 apiece.

Duncan Robinson scored 29 points to lead the Heat to a 111-108 victory over the Grizzlies on Friday night.

Duncan Robinson scores 29 as Heat beat Grizzlies 111-108

Is the NBA ready to add an expansion team? Evan Sidery explores what kind of team you could build in a present-day expansion draft.

NBA Expansion Mock Draft: What would a new expansion team look like?

The Memphis Grizzlies have nailed the NBA Draft since Zach Kleiman took over the front office. In recent years, he and his staff have clearly identified their kind of prospects and honed in on these players.&nbsp;
Several months after Kleiman was promoted to Memphis' executive vice president of basketball operations on April 2019, he selected Ja Morant with the No. 2 overall pick.
Later that draft night, the Grizzlies traded up to draft Brandon Clarke with the No. 21 pick. Clarke was a fringe top-10 player on many big boards, but continued to slip on draft night due to his age (23) and limited wingspan (6-foot-8, which is the same as his height). Many of Memphis' picks fit this description; by unsubscribing from groupthink, the Grizzlies have managed to find sleepers that other front offices overlooked due to perceived issues.
Clarke went on to deliver the most efficient season from the field in NBA history for a rookie (61.8% field-goal percentage), and he was the Grizzlies' biggest impact player during their first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the 2021-22 NBA Playoffs.
The Grizzlies did not have a first-round pick in 2020, but sent two second-round picks to the Boston Celtics in exchange for the No. 30 pick. Kleiman then selected Desmond Bane, who was still on the board because of his age (22) and wingspan (6-foot-4, despite standing at 6-foot-6).
Bane had the highest college PER of any Grizzlies draft pick in franchise history. All Bane did was <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/desmond-bane-cementing-himself-as-essential-part-of-nextgen-grizzlies" target="_blank" rel="noopener">become a Most Improved Player candidate</a> in his sophomore season, and he is currently emerging as one of the most lethal shooters in the league.
In the second round, following the Bane selection, Kleiman moved up again to get Xavier Tillman Sr. out of Michigan State; Tillman was another 22-year-old with first-round talent who slid because of age. He hasn't had the same impact as Clarke or Bane, but he's had his moments over the last two seasons.&nbsp;
The 2021 NBA Draft is yet another prime example of Kleiman doing things his way. The Grizzlies moved up from No. 17 to No. 10, with players such as James Bouknight, Moses Moody and Chris Duarte on the board. Most assumed that Moody was the no-brainer pick for the Grizzlies, but Kleiman and Co. had a different plan; Memphis selected Ziaire Williams out of Stanford. Most mock drafts had Williams as a mid-to-late first-round pick, but the Grizzlies were not going to take any chances and risk missing out on their guy.
Then, in back-to-back years of the draft, Memphis bought back into the first round by acquiring the No. 30 pick to gain a cheaper, controlled contract. The Grizzlies dealt the No. 40 pick and two future second-round picks in exchange for the No. 30 selection, where Santi Aldama was the choice. Most teams didn't have Aldama atop their draft board at that spot, as a number of prospects with late-first grades had slipped, including JT Thor, Ayo Dosunmu and Joe Wieskamp. However, the Grizzlies were determined to add the 6-foot-11 forward who can dribble, pass and shoot &mdash; providing versatility and spacing.&nbsp;
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Leading up to the 2022 NBA Draft, multiple outlets reported that Memphis was interested in moving up again. The Grizzlies were rumored to be after the Sacramento Kings' No. 4 pick and the New York Knicks' No. 11 pick (and they likely inquired about some selections in between).&nbsp;
Here's what we know: the Grizzlies have a type, and they'll do whatever it takes to get their guys &mdash; even if that means trading up. Outside of Morant, every draft pick from Kleiman and Co. has been the result of Memphis moving up in the draft to snag its target.
Should a team go after the best player available or prioritize the best fit for its roster? This is one of the main debates that surfaces every year around the NBA Draft. For the Grizzlies, the best player available is the guy who is the best fit. For Memphis, best fit doesn't just refer to someone who fills a positional need. They are looking for the player who best fits the current mix of players as a person and a player. And unlike other teams, the Grizzlies aren't focused on a player's age and wingspan.
&ldquo;What we really care about is: Who is the person and are they good at basketball?&rdquo; Kleiman said.
Armed with picks No. 22 and No. 29 in this year's first round, it felt inevitable that the Grizzlies were going to trade up and snag their guy. Was it going to be Tari Eason from LSU? AJ Griffin seemed like a perfect fit. Even Jalen Duren made sense. But when it comes to Memphis, identifying the team's targets without inside knowledge is a crapshoot.
Then, it happened: Memphis packaged their two first-rounders to move up to No. 19. Malaki Branham was there, slipping out of the teens. Christian Braun and MarJon Beauchamp were also on the board. However, the Grizzlies opted for Jake LaRavia out of Wake Forest. This was their guy. With the San Antonio Spurs rumored to like LaRavia at No. 20, they made sure to go get him.
Now, would Memphis once again try to trade up into the end of the first round for the third year in a row?
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
The <a href="https://twitter.com/memgrizz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@memgrizz</a> today announced the team acquired the draft rights to David Roddy (the No. 23 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft) and Danny Green from the Philadelphia 76ers for De'Anthony Melton. <a href="https://t.co/M5zHBVvjtR">pic.twitter.com/M5zHBVvjtR</a>
&mdash; Grizzlies PR (@GrizzliesPR) <a href="https://twitter.com/GrizzliesPR/status/1540450306126819328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 24, 2022</a></blockquote>

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The Grizzlies didn't wait for the last pick of the first round this time, jumping back in four selections after LaRavia's to surprise everyone once again. Jaden Hardy, Andrew Nembhard and Patrick Baldwin Jr. had all been linked to Memphis during the pre-draft process. Instead, it was David Roddy, the <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2022-nba-draft-prospect-david-roddy-aims-to-be-ultimate-glue-guy-after-colorado-state-breakout-minneapolis-minnesota-breck-school-phil-beckner-niko-medved" target="_blank" rel="noopener">6-foot-6 defensive lineman&nbsp;forward from Colorado State</a>.&nbsp;
As the second round progressed, a few players began to fall. EJ Liddell, Bryce McGowens and Kennedy Chandler were sliding despite having first-round grades. Then, Memphis struck again, acquiring the No. 38 pick for a future second-rounder and cash. Here, the Grizzlies selected Chandler.
"We were shocked that Kennedy slipped to where he was,&rdquo; Kleiman said after the draft. "That wasn't the first team that we called trying to get in using a second, trading in and trying to get a point guard who fits what we're about.&rdquo;
Kleiman still had No. 47 even after trading up twice. Memphis selected Vince Williams Jr. out of VCU, a 6-foot-5 wing with a 7-foot wingspan.&nbsp;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Only three college players reached these thresholds: Shot Selection: eFG% &gt; 57% Value Beyond Scoring: D-REB% and AST% &gt; 14% Defensive Playmaking: BLK% and STL% &gt; 2% The Grizzlies drafted all three: Jake LaRavia, David Roddy, and Vince Williams 🔥🔥<a href="https://t.co/o4aJDNy1lL">https://t.co/o4aJDNy1lL</a>
&mdash; Bryan Kalbrosky (@BryanKalbrosky) <a href="https://twitter.com/BryanKalbrosky/status/1541478576201113602?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 27, 2022</a></blockquote>

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After their second-round exit against the world champion Golden State Warriors, it was clear Memphis needed shooters and guys who could defend and play in the half-court. All four of the organization's draft picks shot better than 38% from deep last season and averaged over 2.0 stocks (steals and blocks) per game.
While they vary in size and position, the Grizzlies selected four players who can dribble, pass, shoot and defend. And though shooting was the priority in this draft, they stuck to their plan, searching for good people who are also good at basketball.
After an eventful draft night, they ended up with four players who can contribute in a multitude of ways early in their careers.
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The Grizzlies have been aggressive in recent NBA Drafts, trading up every year since 2019 to go get their guys.

The Grizzlies’ unique NBA Draft approach has yielded multiple steals

DENVER (AP) &mdash; Nikola Jokic made history on the night his Denver Nuggets clinched a fourth consecutive playoff berth with a 122-109 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.
Jokic became the first player in NBA history with 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 500 assists in a season.
He had 35 points, 16 rebounds, six assists and five steals Thursday night.
&ldquo;Dude is really great at basketball,&rdquo; teammate Bones Hyland said.
Jokic's big night came after taking an inadvertent elbow from Jaren Jackson Jr. to the right forehead and temple that <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPointsApp/status/1512238860008263680?s=20&amp;t=Kft2-KJVkVHiG4YQh_Bs_w">drew blood</a> in the opening minute.
After having to retreat to the bench twice to stop the bleeding, Jokic donned a red headband for the remainder of the game as he helped the Nuggets (48-33) overcome a shaky start to avoid a season sweep at the hands of the Grizzlies.
&ldquo;The MVP isn't even a competition,&rdquo; Nuggets coach Michael Malone declared afterward. &ldquo;There's other great players. I'm not saying they're not great players. But what Nikola Jokic has done this year &mdash; with this team &mdash; everything we've had to go through, is just incredible.
&ldquo;He was good last year and he's even better this year.&rdquo;
Despite missing stars Jamal Murray and Kevin Porter Jr., the Nuggets clinched a top-six spot in the Western Conference playoffs and avoided the four-team play-in thanks to another outstanding performance from the reigning MVP.
They can still win the Northwest Division with a victory Sunday night against the Lakers and two losses by the Utah Jazz (48-32), who finish up against Phoenix and Portland.
Aaron Gordon added 22 points for Denver and Desmond Bane had 14 points for the Grizzlies, who were coming off an overtime loss at Utah on Wednesday night, have already captured the first division title in their history along with securing the second seed in the West.
&ldquo;I think we&rsquo;ve been playing good basketball, even the other night against Utah. Tonight, we just didn&rsquo;t have it,&rdquo; Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said.
Jokic was the biggest reason.
&ldquo;We threw a lot at him,&rdquo; Jenkins said. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s the MVP for a reason. He&rsquo;s nearly impossible to guard. He&rsquo;s going to beat you from inside, outside, playmaking. He played at a really high level tonight.&rdquo;
The Grizzlies are hopeful of getting All-Star guard Ja Morant back this weekend from a right knee injury that has sidelined him since March 18.
Jokic was hit in the head on the Grizzlies' first bucket, a drive by Jaren Jackson Jr., and retreated to the bench for treatment. He wasn't back on the court for long before returning to the sideline for more treatment and a <a href="https://twitter.com/nuggets/status/1512251453842227202?s=20&amp;t=Kft2-KJVkVHiG4YQh_Bs_w">red headband</a>.
&ldquo;My first thought was Steve Nash in that playoff series and they couldn't stop the bleeding,&rdquo; Malone said. "And I'm saying, &lsquo;Of all games, Nikola gets a very non-malicious elbow, an inadvertent elbow to the head and he's bleeding.'
&ldquo;I'm saying, &lsquo;Not tonight."
Malone said he implored his trainers to do whatever they could to staunch the flow of blood.
&ldquo;Like, get a staple gun out here," Malone said. "And it finally stopped and Nikola put on another MVP performance."
While making NBA history.
Jokic said he's not going to keep wearing the headband, however. He'll leave that look to LeBron James.
&ldquo;No, I look great,&rdquo; Jokic said. &ldquo;I cannot let you guys see me twice like that."
Jokic agreed he's had a better season than last year but he said there's 20 superstars in this league and he's not himself lobbying for another MVP award.
&ldquo;If that's enough, it's enough," he said. "It not, you cannot control that.&rdquo;
Jokic got a game ball from the Nuggets as a keepsake of his historic night but he joked the trainers would probably sell his blood-soaked headband on eBay.
TIP-INS
Grizzlies: Memphis remains one win shy of tying the franchise record for wins in a single season (56-26 in 2012-13). ... Despite back-to-back losses to Utah and Denver, the Grizzlies finished 26-15 away from home, the NBA's second-best road record.
Nuggets: Murray missed his 81st game, but the Nuggets still haven't ruled out a return either Sunday in the regular season finale or in the playoffs. Murray tore his left ACL last April 12.
MORE MORANT
Morant is averaging 27.6 points. His return could make Memphis the darlings of the NBA playoffs.
Jenkins said they would like to have at least one game with their full contingent before the postseason. But health matters more.
&ldquo;If that&rsquo;s not what&rsquo;s the recommendation of the medical team, we don&rsquo;t feel like that&rsquo;s the smartest move, then we won&rsquo;t do it,&rdquo; Jenkins said.
COURTSIDE VIPS
Among the VIPs at courtside was Broncos new QB Russell Wilson and his wife, R&amp;B singer-songwriter Ciara.
&ldquo;So, that was an added bonus,&rdquo; Malone said of seeing Ciara, who's also a model and dancer.
He didn't introduce himself to Ciara, &ldquo;but I talked to the guy she was with, but I didn't get his name,&rdquo; cracked Malone.
Wilson, who tossed an autographed football about 40 yards into the stands in the first half, also is set to throw out the first pitch at the Colorado Rockies' home opener Friday against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
UP NEXT
Grizzlies: Return home to face New Orleans on Saturday.
Nuggets: Wrap up the regular season at home Sunday night against the Lakers, who are sitting out these playoffs.
&nbsp;

Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets clinched a fourth consecutive playoff berth with a 122-109 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies.

Nuggets clinch playoff berth with 122-109 rout of Grizzlies

Ja Morant's goal is to give Memphis Grizzlies much more than the memorable highlight <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1495619317823639559" target="_blank" rel="noopener">360-degree dunk</a> during his first All-Star Game.
The third-year point guard plans on delivering Memphis an NBA title.
&ldquo;Our goal is to win the championship, and I feel like as long as we stay locked in, continue to grow together, play together, that goal can be achieved,&rdquo; Morant said. &ldquo;We just got to stay the course, take it day by day and let it play out.&rdquo;
After having to <a href="https://apnews.com/article/san-antonio-spurs-golden-state-warriors-memphis-grizzlies-nba-sports-1596f4e78133a45c597426853587e67e" target="_blank" rel="noopener">play their way into the postseason</a> last season, the surprising Grizzlies have the NBA's third-best record overall with 22 games remaining. They trail only Phoenix (48-10) and Golden State (42-17) with Memphis (41-19) just 1 1/2 games back of the Warriors.
It's an impressive turnaround after being 9-10 on Nov. 27 with <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nba-sports-memphis-grizzlies-atlanta-hawks-memphis-776614d4a69c99ff775026817076e331" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Morant first out with an injured left knee, then health and safety protocols </a> that cost him 12 games. Since then, the Grizzlies are 32-9 and lead the NBA in several statistical categories.
Memphis is tied with Charlotte as the NBA's top scoring team averaging 113.8 points a game. The Grizzlies also lead the league in rebounds (48.9), steals (10.1) and blocks (6.3) per game even with injuries limiting Dillon Brooks &mdash; their best perimeter defender &mdash; to 21 games.
Golden State coach Steve Kerr believes the Grizzlies are solid on both ends of the floor.
&ldquo;A really good two-way team, creative on both ends,&rdquo; Kerr said. "Even with the guys they have out, they&rsquo;re really deep and flexible. They&rsquo;re hot right now.&rdquo;
This is what the Grizzlies wanted when controlling owner <a href="https://apnews.com/article/dbbf1d71baae467a905ce876e1e70128" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Robert Pera shook up his front office</a> in April 2019 and made Zach Kleiman general manager. Memphis already had Jaren Jackson Jr. as the fourth overall pick in 2018, then nabbed Morant at No. 2 in 2019.
Kleiman has assembled a very young and deep team with 12 Grizzlies in their third NBA season or less. Center Steven Adams, a trade acquisition last summer, is the oldest in his ninth season. Rookie Ziaire Williams, the 10th overall pick, currently is a starter along with Desmond Bane, the 30th pick in 2020.
Third-year coach Taylor Jenkins has gotten them to play stingy defense led by Jackson, third in the NBA blocking 2.17 shots per game. They turn blocks and steals into more fast-break points than anyone else in the league with the Grizzlies finishing with lots of high-flying dunks.
&ldquo;When we do that, it&rsquo;s a spark, and we&rsquo;re really dangerous when we get out into the open court,&rdquo; Jenkins said.
Preparing for the Grizzlies requires a lot of attention to Memphis' transition defense. Detroit coach Dwane Casey credits the Grizzlies with having excellent defensive hands and Jenkins and his staff putting them in a system that fits Memphis perfectly.
&ldquo;They&rsquo;re a handful,&rdquo; Casey said. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t see a lot of weaknesses. You look at other teams in the West, and you see the Memphis Grizzlies right there at the top.&rdquo;
The Grizzlies are 19-0 when scoring at least 120 points, and they started February scoring at least 120 points in six straight games, the longest streak by any NBA team this season.
Morant is the reason for the Grizzlies' high hopes as they begin the second half Thursday night at Minnesota.
He's the NBA's seventh-leading scorer averaging 26.8 points a game. He's also on pace to become the sixth player in league history to average at least 25 points, five rebounds and five assists a game at the age of 22 or younger. The others are Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan, Tracy McGrady, LeBron James and Luka Doncic.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Finals MVP who led Milwaukee to the title last summer, said Morant and the Grizzlies are another small market team that can compete for the championship.
&ldquo;He has an unbelievable team,&rdquo; Antetokounmpo said. &ldquo;They have great culture, a great coach. The sky is the limit for them.&rdquo;
___
AP Basketball Writer Brian Mahoney, AP Sports Writer Tom Withers and AP freelance writer Clay Bailey contributed to this report.

Ja Morant's goal is to give Grizzlies much more than the memorable highlight 360-degree dunk during his first All-Star Game.

Ja Morant, Grizzlies look for strong finish, playoff success

DENVER (AP) &mdash; Ja Morant scored 38 points and the Memphis Grizzlies overcame Nikola Jokic's fourth straight triple-double to beat the Denver Nuggets 122-118 on Friday night.
Morant scored on floaters, runners, fadeaways, 3-pointers, an emphatic alley-oop and driving layups while slicing through a variety of Nuggets defenders. He set a career-high with 23 points in the first half and finished 15 of 26 from the field.
&ldquo;I was able to get to my spots on the floor, which I excel at,&rdquo; Morant said. &ldquo;And once I get to my normal spots, it's pretty much buckets.&rdquo;
Morant was six points shy of his career high and also had six rebounds and six assists. Jaren Jackson Jr. added 20 points, including a 3-pointer on a feed from Morant with 41 seconds left after the Nuggets got within 115-111.
&ldquo;That was the play of the game,&rdquo; Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said. &ldquo;It was a beautiful pass. He and Jaren have connected on a couple big game-winners this year.&rdquo;
De'Anthony Melton had 21 points and nine rebounds off the bench as the Grizzlies won for the second time in four games since snapping their 11-game winning streak.
Two days after his 49-point triple-double in an overtime victory over the Los Angeles Clippers, Jokic had 26 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists. It was his NBA-best 11th triple-double of the season and 68th of his career.
Will Barton had 27 points and eight assists, but the Nuggets' bench let them down as the Grizzlies took control early in the fourth quarter.
&ldquo;At times it felt like they were playing at a different speed than us,&rdquo; coach Michael Malone said.
Bryn Forbes, acquired by Denver from San Antonio in a three-team trade Wednesday, was the first player off the bench. He immediately hit a 20-footer but hit just 4 of 13 shots and scored nine points.
Malone said Forbes told him &ldquo;my bad&rdquo; as they headed to the locker room after the game.
&ldquo;I think probably because I know I&rsquo;m better than I played tonight,&rdquo; Forbes said. "It was kind of frustrating for me, just personally. I think I&rsquo;ve got a lot more in me than that.&rdquo;
Forbes and the second unit were on the floor as the Grizzlies scored the first six points of the fourth quarter to go ahead 104-92. When Morant checked back in with 7:18 left, the Grizzlies led 108-96.
About the only thing Morant did wrong was run the length of the floor, grab and hang onto the backboard, and pick up a technical foul after he was called for a foul on Jokic in the third quarter.
&ldquo;I know there are conversations about him being an All-Star. That's a for-sure thing," Jenkins said. "He's playing at an All-Star level. And I think he's playing at an MVP level.&rdquo;
The Grizzlies were 9 of 40 from 3-point range in Wednesday's loss at Milwaukee. They hit their first five from long range Friday and were 10 of 16 in the first half in building a 13-point lead.
The Nuggets added veteran center DeMarcus Cousins on Friday to a 10-day contract, but he didn't play after Malone said he was &ldquo;dealing with a slight, I wouldn&rsquo;t say injury, but just something where we&rsquo;ll kind of see how he feels pregame.&rdquo;
TIP-INS
Grizzlies: F Dillon Brooks (left ankle sprain) is still expected to miss about a month after being injured Jan. 8. &ldquo;The swelling is going down and his mobility is starting to go up a little bit," Jenkins said. &ldquo;He hasn&rsquo;t jumped on the court yet, so the timeline really hasn&rsquo;t changed." ... F Killian Tillie exited COVID-19 protocols but didn't play. ... Desmond Bane, Kyle Anderson and Tyus Jones (COVID-19 protocols) remained out.
Nuggets: Malone and F Jeff Green picked up second-quarter technical fouls. ... G Jamal Murray, who is recovering from knee surgery, was placed in COVID-19 protocols. ... With Forbes' addition, G Austin Rivers was dropped from rotation and didn't play. ... Peyton Manning, who led the Broncos to their last Super Bowl title, sat behind Memphis' bench.
<div class="mceNonEditable"><spike>&nbsp;</spike></div>
BOOGIE'S BACK
Malone hopes he can boost the second unit when Jokic is resting.
&ldquo;I think DeMarcus makes it hard for other teams to say, &lsquo;We&rsquo;re going to switch from 1 to 5,&rsquo;&rdquo; Malone said. &ldquo;DeMarcus is a very effective low post player, and I hope you realize he&rsquo;s a hell of a playmaker.&rdquo;
UP NEXT
Grizzles: Visit Dallas on Sunday night in the third stop of a four-game trip.
Nuggets: Conclude their season-long six-game homestand Sunday night vs. Detroit.

Ja Morant scored 38 points and the Grizzlies overcame Nikola Jokic's fourth straight triple-double to beat Denver122-118.

Morant scores 38, Grizzlies knock off Jokic, Nuggets 122-118

We're flipping our calendar at BasketballNews &mdash; but not before taking one look back at a memorable 2021.
Sports never cease to give us compelling storylines. Last year, they came from all places, from the pros in the U.S. and abroad, to college, to youth levels, and even off the basketball court. Below are some of our staff's best stories, arranged in several categories. Read the Best of BasketballNews 2021:
Best Features
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/gary-payton-ii_lg.jpg" alt="" />
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-g-league-raptors-905-gary-payton-ii-on-growing-up-in-fathers-shadow-we-have-two-different-paths">Gary Payton II on growing up in father's shadow: 'We have two different paths'</a> &mdash; by Kelsea O'Brien
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/high-school-basketball-former-nba-execs-aaron-ryan-brandon-williams-kevin-ollie-overtime-elite-seek-to-revolutionize-amateur-to-pro-preparation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Former NBA execs, Overtime Elite seek to revolutionize amateur-to-pro p</a><a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/high-school-basketball-former-nba-execs-aaron-ryan-brandon-williams-kevin-ollie-overtime-elite-seek-to-revolutionize-amateur-to-pro-preparation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reparation</a> &mdash; by Spencer Davies
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-daniel-gafford-washington-wizards-russell-westbrook-bradley-beal-tony-falce-arkansas-razorbacks" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daniel Gafford, Wizards surging since trade: 'When I got here, it clicked automatically'</a> &mdash; by Spencer Davies
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/pj-dozier-took-a-whirlwind-journey-to-the-denver-nuggets-starting-lineup">Two-way threat: PJ Dozier reflects on whirlwind path to Nuggets</a> &mdash; by Ethan Fuller
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/g-league-finals-mvp-devin-cannady-remains-focus-bigger-goals">NBA G League Finals MVP Devin Cannady remains focused on bigger goals</a> &mdash; by Kelsea O'Brien
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/theres-plenty-of-blame-to-go-around-for-frank-ntilikinas-failure">There&rsquo;s plenty of blame to go around for Frank Ntilikina&rsquo;s failure</a> &mdash; by Moke Hamilton
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nikola-vucevic-may-finally-get-credit-he-deserves-with-newlook-bulls">Nikola Vucevic may finally get credit he deserves with new-look Bulls</a> &mdash; by Alex Kennedy
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/meet-juste-jocyte-15-year-old-phenom-and-professional-record-breaker" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Meet Justė Jocytė: 15-year-old phenom and professional record-breaker</a> &mdash; by Ethan Fuller
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/kristaps-porzingis-renewed-confidence-leading-to-resurgent-season-with-mavericks">Kristaps Porzingis' renewed confidence leading to resurgent season</a> &mdash; by Evan Sidery
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/scoot-henderson-aspirations-far-exceed-any-hype-we-can-give-him" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NBA G League star Scoot Henderson's aspirations far exceed the hype</a> &mdash; by Spencer Davies
Best Interviews and Q&amp;As
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/markelle-fultz_lg.png" alt="" />
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-richaun-holmes-qa-interview-free-agency-all-defensive-team">Richaun Holmes Q&amp;A: 'I definitely feel I&rsquo;m deserving of the All-Defensive Team'</a> &mdash; with Alex Kennedy
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-orlando-magic-rj-hampton-q-and-a-i-dont-think-you-can-put-a-cap-on-our-ceiling">Magic's R.J. Hampton Q&amp;A: 'I don&rsquo;t think you can put a cap on our ceiling'</a> &mdash; with Alex Kennedy
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/podcasts/the-rex-chapman-show/episodes/basketballnews-com-episode-8-episode-7-stephen-curry">The Rex Chapman Show with Josh Hopkins Episode 7 - Stephen Curry</a>
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/podcasts/the-rex-chapman-show/episodes/basketballnews-com-episode-10-episode-9-james-jones">The Rex Chapman Show: James Jones on Suns' culture change, player-to-GM leap</a>
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-san-antonio-spurs-derrick-white-dejounte-murray-gregg-popovich-colorado-buffaloes">One-on-One: Derrick White, Spurs' youth trying to make a name for themselves</a> &mdash; with Spencer Davies
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-one-on-one-patrick-patterson-los-angeles-clippers-tyronn-lue-paul-george-kawhi-leonard-demarcus-cousins-kentucky-wildcats-basketball">One-on-One: Patrick Patterson opens up as Clippers begin playoff run</a> &mdash; with Spencer Davies
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/larry-nance-jr-qa-i-did-not-come-out-here-to-halfass-this-thing">Larry Nance Jr. Q&amp;A: 'I did not come out here to half-ass this thing'</a> &mdash; with Alex Kennedy
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/jermaine-oneal-on-reconciling-with-ron-artest-i-didnt-know-about-mental-health">Jermaine O&rsquo;Neal on reconciling with Metta World Peace: 'I didn't know about mental health'</a> &mdash; with Etan Thomas
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/markelle-fultz-reveals-what-really-happened-with-his-shot-shoulder">Markelle Fultz reveals what really happened with his shot, shoulder</a> &mdash; with Etan Thomas
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/podcasts/the-alex-kennedy-podcast/episodes/basketballnews-com-episode-29-thad-young-on-getting-blindsided-by-trade-to-spurs,-dealing-with-recent-trade-rumors,-the-key-to-nba-longevity,-more-ep-29">Thad Young on being blindsided by Spurs trade, trade rumors, key to longevity</a> &mdash; with Alex Kennedy
Best Player Breakdowns
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/kyle-lowry_lg.jpg" alt="" />
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/on-lock-how-jrue-holiday-became-the-nba-finals-xfactor-">On Lock: How Jrue Holiday became the NBA Finals&rsquo; X-Factor</a> &mdash; by Jannelle Moore
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/enough-no-bag-talk-giannis-antetokounmpo-put-the-nba-on-notice-finals-mvp-champion">Enough 'no bag' talk: Giannis Antetokounmpo put the NBA on notice</a> &mdash; by Nekias Duncan
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/what-kyle-lowry-brings-to-the-miami-heat">Film study: What Kyle Lowry brings to the Miami Heat</a> &mdash; by Nekias Duncan
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/dime-fest-breaking-down-courtney-vandersloot-historic-night-wnba-playoffs">Dime Fest: Breaking down Courtney Vandersloot's historic night</a> &mdash; by Nekias Duncan
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/all-signs-pointing-to-marcus-smart-as-the-celtics-swing-player">What does Marcus Smart at point guard look like for the Celtics? </a>&nbsp; &mdash; by Ethan Fuller
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/rudy-gay-is-injecting-the-jazz-with-funk">Rudy Gay is injecting the Jazz with funk</a> &mdash; by Mark Schindler
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/is-jaren-jackson-jr-a-star-in-making-or-something-else">Is Jaren Jackson Jr. a star in the making, or something else?</a> &mdash; by Matt Brooks
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/dissecting-desmond-bane-role-memphis-grizzlies-offense">Dissecting Desmond Bane's growing role in the Grizzlies' offense</a> &mdash; by Jackson Frank
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/is-dave-bing-right-about-cade-cunningham">Is Cade Cunningham a franchise player the Pistons can build around?</a> &mdash; by Mat Issa and Bryce Simon
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/making-the-nba-all-star-case-for-cavs-big-man-jarrett-allen">Making the NBA All-Star case for Cavs big man Jarrett Allen</a> &mdash; by Bryan Fonseca
Best Team and League Breakdowns
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/jarrett-allen_lg.png" alt="" />
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-to-tank-or-not-to-tank-analyzing-the-toronto-raptors-present-and-future">To tank, or not to tank? Analyzing the Raptors' present and future</a> &mdash; by Imman Adan
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-nba-draft-lottery-is-not-rigged-and-heres-why">The NBA Draft Lottery is not rigged, and here's why</a> &mdash; by Alex Kennedy&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/why-big-men-take-more-time-to-develop-in-the-nba-than-guards-and-wings">Why NBA bigs take more time to develop: 'They're used to imposing their will'</a>&nbsp;&mdash; by Spencer Davies
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/as-the-offseason-revs-up-what-nba-teams-are-in-the-dead-money-doldrums">As NBA offseason nears, which teams are in the dead money doldrums?</a> &mdash; by Ethan Fuller
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/suns-create-unnecessarily-awkward-situation-not-signing-deandre-ayton-to-extension">Suns create unnecessarily awkward situation by not extending Ayton</a> &mdash; by Evan Sidery
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/in-the-nba-length-matters-unedited">Length matters: The NBA's long-ball revolution may be coming</a> &mdash; by Imman Adan
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/grindhouse-how-the-grizzlies-are-winning-with-defense">The Grindhouse: How the Grizzlies are winning with defense</a> &mdash; by Nekias Duncan
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/tom-thibodeau-isnt-the-only-reigning-coach-of-the-year-to-struggle">Tom Thibodeau isn&rsquo;t the only reigning Coach of the Year to struggle</a> &mdash; by Moke Hamilton
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-power-rankings-warriors-reclaim-top-spot-from-suns">NBA Power Rankings: Bulls are hot, Warriors reclaim top spot from Suns </a>&nbsp;&mdash; by Tommy Beer
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/hornets-embarrassing-defense-sinking-their-enticing-potential">Hornets' embarrassing defense sinking their enticing potential</a> &mdash; by Evan Sidery
Best Opinion
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/draymond-green_lg.png" alt="" />
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/injuries-galore-the-nba-all-too-soon-return-has-made-losers-of-us-all">Injuries Galore: The NBA&rsquo;s all-too-soon return has made losers of us all</a> &mdash; by Moke Hamilton
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/what-can-the-nba-do-to-prevent-ugly-fan-incidents">What can the NBA do to prevent more ugly fan incidents?</a> &mdash; by Alex Kennedy
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/rachel-nichols-maria-taylor-incident-exposes-espn-racism-sexism" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rachel Nichols-Maria Taylor incident exposes ESPN&rsquo;s racism, sexism&nbsp;</a> &mdash; by Imman Adan
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-discourse-around-nba-superteams-is-tiresome-stars" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The discourse around NBA stars and super-teams is tiresome</a> &mdash; by Spencer Davies
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/a-beginners-guide-to-nba-stats-written-by-a-beginner">A beginner's guide to NBA stats: The three types of statistics</a> &mdash; by Ethan Fuller
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/which-nba-players-could-have-realistically-played-in-the-nfl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Which NBA players could have realistically played in the NFL?</a> &mdash; by Alex Kennedy
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/no-enhancement-necessary-the-nba-should-leave-well-enough-alone">No enhancement necessary: NBA should leave well enough alone</a> &mdash; by Jannelle Moore
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-nets-should-be-ashamed-of-themselves">The Nets should be ashamed of themselves</a> &mdash; by Nekias Duncan
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/missing-the-forest-through-the-trees-on-christmas-day-games">Missing the forest through the trees on Christmas Day games</a> &mdash; by Mark Schindler
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/greg-monroe-and-the-brief-case-for-us-to-see-more-nba-veterans-this-season">NBA teams need to show more respect to veterans, and we're seeing why</a> &mdash; by Bryan Fonseca
Best of the NBA Draft
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/james-bouknight_lg.jpg" alt="" />
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2022 NBA Draft Big Board</a> &mdash; by Matt Babcock
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/a-behindthescenes-look-at-james-bouknights-predraft-training">Behind the scenes with projected lottery pick James Bouknight</a> &mdash; by Matt Babcock
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/qa-nba-draft-prospect-nahshon-bones-hyland-demands-your-attention">Q&amp;A: Draft prospect Nah'Shon 'Bones' Hyland demands your attention</a> &mdash; by Alex Kennedy
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/qa-2021-nba-draft-intel-with-lead-draft-analyst-matt-babcock-rumors-offseason">2021 NBA Draft: Matt Babcock on rumors, trades, risers, fallers</a> &mdash; by Ethan Fuller and Matt Babcock
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-little-guy-from-bendigo-dyson-daniels-game-is-unlike-anyone-elses">The Little Guy From Bendigo: Dyson Daniels is unlike anyone else</a> &mdash; by Spencer Davies
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2022-nba-draft-qa-french-big-man-ismael-kamagate">2022 NBA Draft Q&amp;A: French big man Ismael Kamagate</a> &mdash; by Jason Filippi
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2022-nba-draft-jean-montero-scouting-report">2022 NBA Draft: Jean Montero scouting report</a> &mdash; by Doc Martin
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/babcocks-takeaways-jabari-smith-patrick-baldwin-jr-matthew-cleveland-more">Babcock&rsquo;s Takeaways: Jabari Smith, Patrick Baldwin, Matthew Cleveland</a> &mdash; by Matt Babcock
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2022-nba-draft-the-evolution-of-kansas-guard-ochai-agbaji">2022 NBA Draft: The evolution of Kansas guard Ochai Agbaji</a> &mdash; by Derek Murray
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2022-nba-draft-getting-to-know-alabamas-native-son-jd-davison">2022 NBA Draft: Getting to know JD Davison, Alabama's native son</a> &mdash; by Grant Aqui
Best Player Pieces
<img src="https://cdn.basketballnews.com/images/story/body/james-posey_lg.png" alt="" />
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/nba-washington-wizards-troy-brown-jr-bradley-beal-russell-westbrook-outbreak-covid-19-coronavirus-virus-contract-health-safety-protocol">Behind the scenes of the Wizards' COVID-19 outbreak: 'It's been a wild season'</a> &mdash; by Troy Brown Jr.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/its-a-shame-carmelo-didnt-end-up-in-portland-sooner">It&rsquo;s a shame Carmelo Anthony didn&rsquo;t end up in Portland sooner</a> &mdash; by Kenyon Martin
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/my-first-time-getting-traded-learning-what-its-like-to-be-dealt-in-the-nba">My first time getting traded: Learning what it's like to be dealt in the NBA</a> &mdash; by Troy Brown Jr.
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/kwame-brown-stephen-a-smith-stephen-jackson-matt-barnes-charlemagne-etan-thomas-washington-wizards-media">After 20 years of public degradation, Kwame Brown is fed up</a> &mdash; by Etan Thomas
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/paul-george-is-silencing-his-critics-los-angeles-clippers-nba-playoffs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Paul George is silencing his critics</a> &mdash; by Etan Thomas
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/the-nba-is-big-business-and-players-should-be-allowed-to-act-like-it">The NBA is a big business, and players should be allowed to act like it</a> &mdash; by James Posey
<a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/lebron-james-doesnt-seem-to-be-succumbing-to-father-time-just-yet">LeBron James doesn&rsquo;t seem to be succumbing to Father Time just yet</a> &mdash; by James Posey

BasketballNews highlights its best stories over the calendar 2021 year.

The Best of BasketballNews: 2021

Tommy Beer is back with his latest version of BasketballNews.com's NBA Power Rankings. To read last week's version, <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/suns-eclipse-warriors-for-the-top-spot-in-nba-power-rankings" target="_blank" rel="noopener">click here</a>.
Golden State leapfrogs Phoenix to once again ascend to the top of the BasketballNews.com Power Rankings, while the Memphis Grizzlies continue to creep their way into the league's upper echelon this season. &nbsp;
1. Golden State Warriors (27-6) ⬆️ Last Week: 2
The Warriors beat the Suns on Saturday in a much-anticipated Christmas Day showdown despite playing without Andrew Wiggins, Damion Lee and Jordan Poole, who were all in health and safety protocols. As expected, Steph Curry led the way, knocking down five three-pointers en route to a game-high 33 points; however, it was Otto Porter Jr. who surprisingly sealed the deal for the Dubs, scoring 7 of his 19 points in the closing minutes.&nbsp;
2. Phoenix Suns (26-7) ⬇️ Last Week: 1
After falling to the Warriors on Christmas, the Suns were tripped up by the Grizzlies on Monday night as well. It's the first time Phoenix has lost consecutive contests since the season's first week. The Suns will look to get back on track Wednesday when they host the Thunder.
3. Brooklyn Nets (23-9) &harr;️ Last Week: 3
Reports of James Harden being "washed" may have been a bit premature. After racking up 36 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in a win over the Lakers on Christmas, Harden was back it Monday vs. Clippers, finishing with 39 points and a season-best 15 assists. Harden's final assist on Monday was the 6,000th of his career. He is just the 10th player in league history to tally 20,000 career points, 5,000 rebounds and 6,000 assists. After sweeping their two-game Los Angeles road swing, the Nets are an NBA-best 13-3 on the road this season.&nbsp;
4. Utah Jazz (24-9) &harr;️ Last Week: 4
The Jazz were missing Donovan Mitchell (lower back strain) but continued to roll along Monday night, securing their fourth straight victory by beating the Spurs. Mitchell tweaked his back during Saturday's win over the Mavericks and is expected to miss at least one more game.
5. Milwaukee Bucks (22-13) ⬆️ Last Week: 6
The Bucks are finally starting to get healthy, which is bad news for the rest of the Eastern Conference. Giannis Antetokounmpo made his return to action in the Bucks' victory over the Boston Celtics on Christmas Day, suiting up for the first time since entering the health and safety protocols on Dec. 12. Giannis was joined by Bobby Portis, who had missed the previous four games due to COVID, and Donte DiVincenzo, who hadn't played since injuring his left foot during the 2021 playoffs.
6. Chicago Bulls (21-10) ⬆️ Last Week: 7
After a brief slump earlier this month, Nikola Vucevic is once again beasting for the Bulls, who have won four in a row. Vooch tallied a combined total of 40 points, 32 rebounds, 9 assists, 6 blocks and 6 made three-pointers in a back-to-back set against the Indiana Pacers and Atlanta Hawks on Sunday and Monday.&nbsp;
7. Cleveland Cavaliers (20-13)&nbsp;⬇️ Last Week: 5
While many pundits and fans league-wide continue to wait for the Cavs to come crashing back down to earth, Cleveland <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/from-lovable-underdog-to-unforgiving-bully-how-the-cavs-got-here" target="_blank" rel="noopener">keeps on winning</a> (and often dominates in the process). Over the last month, the Cavs lead the NBA in Defensive Rating (they are the only team in the league allowing fewer than 100 points per 100 possessions during this stretch). Cleveland also leads the league in Net Rating (+15.8) over the past month. Remarkably, each of the Cavaliers' last 11 wins has been by double digits.
8. ​​Memphis Grizzlies (21-14) ⬆️ Last Week: 9
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Ja Morant drives, hangs, switches hands and gets it to on his way down, FOR THE <a href="https://twitter.com/memgrizz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@memgrizz</a> WIN! <a href="https://t.co/GnTl4RbAEJ">pic.twitter.com/GnTl4RbAEJ</a>
&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1475686020079407104?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Ja Morant made a contested layup with 0.5 seconds left in the fourth quarter to give the Grizzlies an impressive 114-113 victory over the Suns on Monday night. Morant's backcourt mate, Desmond Bane, remained red-hot (as <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/dissecting-desmond-bane-role-memphis-grizzlies-offense" target="_blank" rel="noopener">profiled by our Jackson Frank</a> over the weekend), scoring a career-high 32 points. Over his last seven games, Bane is averaging 21.9 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.0 made treys while shooting over 50% from the floor and behind the arc.
9. Miami Heat (21-13) ⬇️ Last Week: 8
With rosters around the league decimated by COVID, depth has become a crucial asset. On Sunday, the Heat needed important contributions from a handful of role players to pull out a victory over Orlando, and they got just that. Caleb Martin tied for the team-high with 17 points off the bench; Omer Yurtseven scored 16 points and grabbed 15 boards in his first start, while Gabe Vincent and Max Strus chipped in 13 points apiece.&nbsp;
10. Philadelphia 76ers (17-16) &harr;️ Last Week: 10
The Sixers had lost 4 of 5 entering Sunday's matchup with the Wizards, but Joel Embiid (36 points and 13 rebounds) put Philly on his back to carry his squad to a much-needed victory, pushing the team back over .500. Philadelphia has a chance to secure back-to-back wins on Tuesday when it takes on the injury-depleted Raptors, who are fresh off a 45-point drubbing in Cleveland.
11. Denver Nuggets (16-16) &harr;️ Last Week: 11
The Joker is running wild. Over the Nuggets' last two games, Jokic has racked a ridiculous 55 points, 43 rebounds and 13 assists. He is the first player to tally at least 25 points, 20 rebounds and 5 assists in back-to-back games since Charles Barkley in 1988. Jokic is the first player ever with 25/20/5 and a three-pointer in consecutive contests.&nbsp;
12. Charlotte Hornets (18-17) ⬆️ Last Week: 14
The Hornets won their second straight game Monday by beating the Houston Rockets. Terry Rozier knocked down seven three-pointers on his way to a game-high 27 points vs. Houston. Mason Plumlee also provided a significant lift, registering a season-high 15 points to go along with 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks and 2 steals in Monday's 123-99 win.
13. Los Angeles Clippers (17-17)&nbsp;⬇️ Last Week: 12
Paul George complained of soreness in his right elbow last week, and soon after underwent an MRI, which revealed a ligament tear. The Clippers, who have lost 5 of their previous 6, announced PG-13 would miss 3-4 weeks before being re-evaluated. However, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski ominously reported that the Clips will "see if rest can get him on a pathway to recovery, but he's gonna be out certainly a significant period of time and there's no real sense of when, or if, he'll be back this year." Yikes.&nbsp;
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14. Dallas Mavericks (16-17) ⬆️ Last Week: 18
In addition to franchise cornerstone Luka Doncic, the Mavs were forced to play without Tim Hardaway Jr., Maxi Kleber, Reggie Bullock and Trey Burke on Monday, but still whooped the Portland Trail Blazers. Kristaps Porzingis led the way for Dallas, knocking down 12 of 21 field goal attempts and three treys en route to a season-high 34 points, along with 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks and no turnovers.&nbsp;
15. Washington Wizards (17-16) ⬆️ Last Week: 16
The Wizards travel to Miami on Tuesday night but afterward return home for a four-game homestand. Then after a quick two-game road swing in early January, Washington will play eight straight games in D.C. All told, the Wiz will play 12 of their next 14 at home, which is a golden opportunity to make a push up the standings. However, it was announced that Montrezl Harrell entered the league's health and safety protocols on Tuesday. Harrell is the seventh Wizard in protocols.
16. Los Angeles Lakers (16-18) ⬇️ Last Week: 13
LeBron James is averaging 35.0 points, 9.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.8 steals and 1.3 blocks, while shooting over 58% from the floor and 80% from the free-throw stripe over the Lakers' last four games, but L.A. has lost each one. With Anthony Davis (knee) still weeks away from returning to action, it will be fascinating to see if the Lakers' front office seriously considers shaking up their roster by trading away Russell Westbrook.
17. Minnesota Timberwolves (16-17) ⬇️ Last Week: 15
Despite playing without their top three scorers (Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards and D'Angelo Russell), the Wolves found a way to beat the Celtics on Monday night. Nathan Knight tallied 20 points and 11 rebounds, while Jaylen Nowell scored a game-high 29 points for Minny. Greg Monroe signed a hardship contract over the weekend and <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/greg-monroe-and-the-brief-case-for-us-to-see-more-nba-veterans-this-season" target="_blank" rel="noopener">chipped in 13/9/6 off the bench</a>. After the game, he admitted he wasn't overly familiar with his teammates. "Not gonna lie, Jaylen Nowell played awesome tonight, but I had no idea who that was," Monroe said.
18. Toronto Raptors (14-16) ⬆️ Last Week: 19
The Raptors have eight players in the health and safety protocols, including Fred VanVleet and Scottie Barnes, and only had eight players active for Sunday night's game vs. Cleveland. It showed, as the Raps were blown out by by the Cavs, 144-95. Fortunately, Toronto plays 7 out of their next 8 games at home, which could allow them to right the ship. And luckily, Pascal Siakam and Gary Trent Jr. have been cleared to return off the COVID list.
19. New York Knicks (15-18) ⬆️ Last Week: 22
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Quentin Grimes has a beautiful jump shot. Good work here, <a href="https://twitter.com/nyknicks?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@nyknicks</a>. <a href="https://t.co/KNAA5vLsjK">pic.twitter.com/KNAA5vLsjK</a>
&mdash; SLAM (@SLAMonline) <a href="https://twitter.com/SLAMonline/status/1475542501914300420?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 27, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Quentin Grimes is slowly but surely making a case for consistent, extended minutes in the Knicks' rotation. After 27 points in his first start before entering COVID protocols, Grimes chipped in 15 in his return to action in Saturday's victory over Atlanta. Grimes is shooting 45.5% from three-point territory this season, which leads all rookies. In fact, among rooks that have made at least 20 three-pointers this season, Grimes is the only one shooting above 37% from behind the arc.
20. Boston Celtics (16-18)&nbsp;⬇️ Last Week: 17
On Monday, Celtics fans got some good news as both Grant Williams and Al Horford cleared COVID protocols. However, Boston faithful was also walloped with some bad news, as fans learned Jayson Tatum was forced to enter the league's health and safety protocols. It is worth noting that Tatum contracted COVID last season as well, and revealed he had to use an inhaler to help his breathing before games for months due to the lingering effects of the virus.
21. Atlanta Hawks (15-18) ⬇️ Last Week: 20
The Hawks welcomed Trae Young back to the lineup on Monday, and he scored 29 points, but it wasn't enough to beat the Bulls. However, Cam Reddish provided another encouraging effort in the loss to Chicago, as he hit a career-high eight three-pointers and finished with 33 points. Since being inserted into Atlanta's starting lineup, Reddish is averaging 23.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.8 made treys while shooting over 44% from downtown and 87.5% from the charity stripe.
22. San Antonio Spurs (14-19) ⬆️ Last Week: 25
The Spurs had their season-high three-game winning streak snapped Monday night by the Jazz, 110-104. Coming into the contest, San Antonio had scored at least 110 points in 10 straight games (their longest such streak since March of 1984). The Spurs rank seventh in Offensive Rating on the season, averaging 110.6 points per 100 possessions.
23. Indiana Pacers (14-20) ⬇️ Last Week: 21
The Pacers have been inconsistent all season, but Caris LeVert has finally found his groove. Over the Pacers' last four games, LeVert is averaging 24.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 2.0 treys and 1.5 steals.&nbsp;
24. Portland Trail Blazers (13-20)&nbsp;⬇️ Last Week: 23
Playing at home and matched up against a shorthanded Mavs team, the Blazers were three-point favorites on Monday night but ended up losing by 15. The Blazers' defense was atrocious, as they allowed 132 points while Dallas shot above 57% from the floor. According to StatMuse, no team has scored that many points and shot that well in Portland since 1987. Portland has lost 12 of their last 15 games.&nbsp;
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25. Sacramento Kings (13-21) ⬇️ Last Week: 24
Kings interim head coach Alvin Gentry did not mince words after his team's embarrassing 25-point loss to the Grizzlies at home on Sunday. "It's the most disappointed I've been in 34 years in the NBA, I can honestly say that," Gentry told reporters. "That performance was absolutely ridiculous. We didn't play hard, we didn't compete. We didn't guard the ball, we didn't guard screen-and-rolls. We didn't follow the game plan. No competitiveness whatsoever. They basically toyed with us. I'm totally disappointed and everybody in this building should be disappointed." Tell us how ya really feel, coach. &nbsp;
26. Oklahoma City Thunder (12-20) &harr;️ Last Week: 26
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/gilgeousalexander-walker-named-players-of-the-week-for-dec-2026" target="_blank" rel="noopener">named the Western Conference Player of the Week</a> on Monday after leading OKC to a 3-1 record last week. SGA averaged 27.5 points, 7.0 dimes, 6.3 boards and 1.3 blocks in those four games.&nbsp;
27. New Orleans Pelicans (12-22) ⬆️ Last Week: 28
Brandon Ingram had been posting incredibly impressive stats before being ruled out Sunday's game against the Thunder due to left Achilles soreness. Ingram, who is listed as doubtful for Tuesday's game vs. the Cavs, has averaged 27.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.8 treys and 1.2 steals over his previous 10 appearances.&nbsp;
28. Houston Rockets (10-24) ⬇️ Last Week: 27
It's been a wild, roller-coaster ride of a season for the Rockets. After losing 15 in a row over the first month of the season, Houston bounced back by somehow winning seven straight games. However, since that unexpected win streak, the Rox are just 2-8 and have lost each of their last four.&nbsp;
29. Orlando Magic (7-27) ⬆️ Last Week: 30
The Magic have won just 7 of their first 34 games this season, tying the franchise mark for their worst record at this point in a season. How hard has Orlando been hit by COVID and injuries this season, you ask? Hassani Gravett, an undrafted 25-year-old rookie out of Pensacola State, has averaged 25 minutes per game for the Magic over the past two weeks.&nbsp;
30. Detroit Pistons (5-27) ⬇️ Last Week: 29
The Pistons have five players in COVID protocols, including Cade Cunningham, and are missing injured bigs Jerami Grant and Kelly Olynyk. Detroit, which has had 12 different starting lineups this season, has lost 17 of its last 18 contests. They host the Knicks on Wednesday night. &nbsp;

Tommy Beer checks in with an installment of BasketballNews.com's NBA Power Rankings.

NBA Power Rankings: Bulls are hot, Warriors reclaim top spot from Suns

At 17 years old, Scoot Henderson is making history. Spencer Davies spoke with the prodigy and those close to him to find out how.

NBA G League star Scoot Henderson's aspirations far exceed the hype

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 25 points, Desmond Bane added 23 and the Memphis Grizzlies pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 108-95 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night.
Tyus Jones and De’Anthony Melton added 12 points apiece for Memphis, which won for the sixth time in seven games.
LeBron James had a triple-double with 20 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds, and Anthony Davis led the Lakers with 22 points. Talen Horton-Tucker and Avery Bradley each added 10 points.
Memphis opened the fourth quarter on a 9-2 run, pushing the lead to double-digits for the first time for either team. With that spurt, Memphis extended its lead to 94-80. Los Angeles never got its deficit to single digits.
The Grizzlies were without leading scorer Ja Morant and their top defender, Dillon Brooks, who are in health and protocol protection. That put Memphis at a personnel disadvantage.
Memphis, which leads the league in points in the paint, was forced into long-range shots early by the Lakers defense, and the shooting percentage reflected the situation. 
But in the second quarter, Memphis was able to run more. The transition baskets contributed to the Grizzlies building a 59-53 lead at the half.
The Lakers were having trouble holding onto the ball, and by the end of the third quarter had committed 19 turnovers that lead to 22 Memphis points. That helped the Grizzlies carry an 85-78 lead into the fourth.
TIP-INS
Lakers: James and Davis were listed on the team’s injury report as probable — James with rectus abdominis strain; Davis with a left thumb sprain — but both played. … The Lakers saw their four-game winning streak in the series end. … James’ steal in the first quarter was the 2,086th of his career, moving him past Karl Malone for 11th on the all-time list.
Grizzlies: F Kyle Anderson returned to action after missing four games with back soreness. … Had 13 steals in the first half, nine in the second quarter, setting a franchise record for steals in a quarter.
UP NEXT
Lakers: At Oklahoma City on Friday.
Grizzlies: Host the Houston Rockets on Saturday.
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More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports

Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 25 points and the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Los Angeles Lakers 108-95 on Thursday night.