Grizzlies top Suns in highest-scoring game of season
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Ja Morant had 29 points and eight assists, his final one a feed to Jaylen Wells for a dunk with 9.1 seconds left in overtime, and the Memphis Grizzlies closed the extra period with a 7-0 run to beat the Phoenix Suns 151-148 on Tuesday night.
The 299 combined points were the most in an NBA game this season, according to ESPN Research. The game was close throughout, with 22 ties and 22 lead changes. Phoenix had the biggest lead (10 points) in the third quarter.
Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 28 points for the Grizzlies before fouling out in the fourth quarter. Desmond Bane had 25 points and nine assists as Memphis moved into a tie for second place in the Western Conference with idle Denver.
Phoenix had five players score at least 20 points for the first time since Nov. 10, 1990. Devin Booker had 28 points and 10 assists before fouling out, Kevin Durant scored 26, Bradley Beal had 24 points and a season-high 11 assists, Bol Bol had a season-high 23 points and Grayson Allen scored 21.
Morant had shot 2-of-14 from the field through three quarters before scoring 15 in the fourth, including Memphis’ final 11 points. The Grizzlies star finished a career-worst 1-for-12 from distance, but his lone 3-point make cut the Suns’ lead to one with 9.2 seconds to go. He followed that up with a floater with 1.4 seconds left in regulation to tie the game at 137-137.
“I know every shot I take won’t go in but that don’t mean, you know, once you miss one you stop taking them,” Morant said after the game. “Just continuing to shoot the ball. Shot it with confidence.”
Durant’s jumper with 1:17 left in overtime put the Suns ahead 148-144. Santi Aldama responded with a 3-pointer for Memphis, and the Grizzlies took the lead on Brandon Clark’s tip-in with 37.6 seconds left. Durant missed a pair of 3-point attempts in the final four seconds.
The Suns have lost six of their past seven games, dropping them to a season-worst four games under .500 and more than two games back of the Sacramento Kings for the last play-in spot in the Western Conference.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
HOUSTON — Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo said he has “no hard feelings” toward Amen Thompson after the Houston Rockets forward was ejected for pulling him down from behind by his head and neck Tuesday night.
The Bucks were down by two with about 4½ minutes left when Thompson committed the foul as Antetokounmpo went up for a shot in the lane. The play was reviewed and determined to be a flagrant foul 2, and Thompson was ejected.
Houston went on to a 100-97 victory, snapping Milwaukee’s four-game winning streak.
“At the end of the day like you don’t wanna to have a league that’s soft,” Antetokounmpo said when asked about the play. “I love guys that play hard. I love guys that they’re great competitors.”
“I’m one of those guys. Sometimes your competitive nature gets in the way (of) making the best decision, the best judgment at the time. And I feel like he wanted to make it a hard foul, but he grabbed my neck. But there’s no hard feelings.”
Thompson didn’t speak to reporters after the game.
Both Houston coach Ime Udoka and Milwaukee coach Doc Rivers agreed that Thompson should have been ejected for the foul.
Crew chief Tony Brothers explained the decision to eject Thompson to a pool reporter after the game.
“Because the contact to the head was both unnecessary and excessive and by rule that’s a flagrant foul penalty two,” he said.
It’s the second ejection this season for Thompson, who was also tossed in a December game against the Miami Heat after throwing guard Tyler Herro to the floor. The incident triggered an altercation between the teams that led to the ejections of six players and staff members.
Thompson, the fourth overall pick in the 2023 draft, was suspended two games for his actions in that skirmish.
ESPN
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The Grizzlies defeated the Suns in an OT thriller, 151-148. The Grizzlies move to 38-20 as the Suns fall to 27-31.
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THE FAST BREAK | BEST OF FEB. 25
GAME RECAP: LAKERS 107, MAVERICKS 99
GAME RECAP: WARRIORS 128, HORNETS 92
GAME RECAP: GRIZZLIES 151, SUNS 148
GAME RECAP: ROCKETS 100, BUCKS 97
GAME RECAP: PELICANS 109, SPURS 103
GAME RECAP: CAVALIERS 122, MAGIC 82
GAME RECAP: CELTICS 111, RAPTORS 101
CANDID WITH CANDACE: MITCHELL ON CAVS’ SUCCESS
MONDAY’S TOP PLAYS
After early struggles, Ja Morant finds his joy in Memphis Grizzlies’ OT win vs Suns
Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant threaded a two-handed pass to teammate Jaylen Wells, who was open under the basket against a Phoenix Suns defense desperate to get a stop in the final seconds of Tuesday’s game. Wells completed a two-handed dunk, and then a quick celebration broke out.
Morant interacted with the buzzing FedExForum crowd, then he broke out a familiar dance — the “griddy.”
“About time, man,” Grizzlies guard Bane said. “I thought he forgot how to dance.”
And just like that, Morant looked like a player who had found his joy. On a night where Morant only shot 7-for-25 from the field and appeared frustrated early in the game, his resiliency helped the Grizzlies pull out a 151-148 overtime win against the Suns (27-31).
The arena was loud. Fans stood up in anticipation late in the fourth quarter as both teams traded baskets. That energy transferred to overtime, where Memphis (38-20) was able to seal the deal despite Jaren Jackson Jr. fouling out with 3:58 left in the fourth quarter.
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“It was a great environment from the fans,” Bane said. “It felt reminiscent of some playoff games we’ve had here in the past. It’s about that time, for sure.”
Morant’s frustration was visible. It showed in the Grizzlies star’s shooting struggles, and in his frustration with officials.
Morant didn’t make a shot from the field in the first half, missing eight shots overall and five 3-pointers. All six of his points came on free throws.
He often turned towards officials after driving to the basket and not getting whistles, asking for explanations.
“Coach and them stay on me about that — just continuing to keep a positive body language,” Morant said. “Obviously that’s tough when you’re a competitor, so you’re at a disadvantage.”
The third quarter wasn’t much better. Morant made two of his six field goals, and missed three more 3-pointers.
However, he wasn’t going to be denied. Morant kept shooting and eventually broke through. He scored the final 11 Grizzlies points in regulation to get the game to overtime. His first and only made 3-pointer of the night put Memphis within one with nine seconds left in the fourth quarter.
Eight seconds later, Morant made a running shot that forced overtime.
“Just staying locked,” Morant said. “I know every shot I take won’t go in, but that don’t mean once you miss one, stop taking them. Just continuing to shoot the ball.”
Morant had 12 points on 2-for-14 shooting through quarters. In the fourth quarter and overtime, Morant shot 5-for-11 from the field and all six of his free throws. Morant ended the game 14-for-14 from the free-throw line.
“I knew it was coming,” Bane said. “It was just a matter of time. He’s too good of a player to struggle for the whole game. . . . Nobody else I would rather have trying to make plays down the stretch.”
Morant’s close friend Davonte Pack, who is usually sitting courtside at Grizzlies game, couldn’t attend on Tuesday night due to a death in his family.
The two grew up in South Carolina and formed a bond where Morant refers to Pack as his brother. When Morant is usually making game-tying or game-winning baskets at home, he’s often celebrating with Pack. He couldn’t do that on Tuesday. but he made sure to shout out his close friend.
“I really wanted to win tonight,” Morant said. “I received a text from my brother right before the game that we lost a grandma. He told me he wasn’t making it tonight and go get the win. I can’t wait to talk to him after this.”
Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at damichael.cole@commercialappeal.com. Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC.
