Ja Morant scored a triple-double as the Memphis Grizzlies halted their decline with a come-from-behind win over Indiana as Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 50 points in Milwaukee’s NBA victory over New Orleans.
The Bucks were already on their way to explode when Antetokounmpo drained a wide open three-pointer with 1:38 to play to bring their tally to 50 points in Milwaukee’s 135-110 victory over the Pelicans.
It was one of two close victories of the night, as the Cleveland Cavaliers led all the way in a 122-99 rout of the Los Angeles Clippers.
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Morant scored 27 points, pulled down 10 rebounds and handed out 15 assists as the Grizzlies got back into the winning column after dropping five straight points on the road.
“We needed it,” Morant said.
The aftermath of that disastrous trip was evident in the Grizzlies’ slow start. They trailed by as much as 19 and trailed by 12 at halftime after the Indiana reserves outscored the Grizzlies benches 30-5 at halftime.
A score of 20-5 in the third quarter saw Memphis pull level. After the Pacers racked up five straight points, the Grizzlies responded with an 18-6 lead to go up to 12, never trailing in the fourth quarter.
Benedict Mathurin, the sixth pick in the 2022 draft, led the Pacers with 27 points and eight rebounds.
Jaren Jackson Jr. added 28 points for the Grizzlies, who are two games behind the Denver Nuggets at the top of the Western Conference.
“We had to hold ourselves back,” Morant said in a post-match TV interview.
“We were playing with energy, but I thought we were giving up some plays. They were scoring a little too easily. We had to turn it around.”
Giannis scores 50 points in 30 minutes
In Milwaukee, two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Antetokounmpo delivered a ruthlessly efficient performance tying for 20 of 26 shot attempts, including three of four three-point attempts, and his 50th point in just 30 minutes on the floor earned him five. points only. He set a career high earlier this month in a win over the Washington Wizards.
He added 13 rebounds as the Bucks won their fourth straight win.
“I think 50 of 26 (shots) is impressive,” Bucks coach Mike Bodenholzer said.
Junior Holiday scored 17 goals and Brook Lopez added 15 for the Bucks, who reached 130 points in five of their last seven games.
Antetokounmpo signaled his intentions early, scoring 29 points in the first half as the Bucks beat a Pelicans team that lost top scorers Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum.
The unforgettable Osman night
In Cleveland, the Cavaliers welcomed back Donovan Mitchell after a two-game injury layoff with an emphatic 122-99 win over the Los Angeles Clippers, whose five-game winning streak was halted with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George sitting in the second. consecutive night.
While the Cleveland team celebrated Turkish Heritage Night, Turkish striker Sidi Osman came off the bench to lead Cleveland with 29 points, which equaled the highest in his career.
LeBron loses it because there is no wrong call 00:45
Usman connected on 11 of his 13 attempts, including all seven shots from three-point range.
“Tonight we got serious and played a great game,” Osman said, just over a week after embarrassing a Golden State Warriors team who were playing without their usual starts.
Horse sting shears
In the only other game of the day, the Charlotte Hornets held off the Miami Heat, mustering a 122-117 win that ended Miami’s three-game winning streak.
The Heat was a team on the rise after a week that included an impressive win over Eastern Conference leader Boston.
They led by as many as 13 points in the third quarter, but the Hornets, led by 31 points from Terry Rozier and 27 from PJ Washington, managed to turn the tide.
Rozier hits a couple of buzzer rackets | 00:36
Jimmy Butler led the Heat with 28 points, connecting on 11 of 14 shots from the floor with seven rebounds.
But the Heat defense wasn’t up to the task in the fourth quarter, when Charlotte’s LaMelo Ball scored 13 of his 19 points.
– France Press agency
Score the nba today
Miami Heat 117- 122 Cellulite Plant Cultivation Project 122
Indiana Pacers 100 – 112
Los Angeles Clippers 99- 122 The Rubber Iron Industry Project 122
New Orleans Pelicans 110- 135 Drink Production Project 135