Morant Tallies 30 Points Again As Grizzlies Rout Clippers
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Ja Morant had 30 points, Jaren Jackson Jr. added 26 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks as the Memphis Grizzlies routed the Los Angeles Clippers 135-109 on Tuesday night.
The offensive production from Morant came on 12 of 19 shooting from the field and marked the ninth time in the past 10 games the All-Star guard reached the 30-point mark. Brandon Clarke finished with 16 points for Memphis.
Reserve center Isaiah Hartenstein led the Clippers with 19 points, while Norman Powell added 16 points. Terance Mann and Robert Covington finished with 14 points each.
Memphis, which held a 15-point lead at halftime extended it to 20 midway through the third quarter, capped by a dunk from Morant after a rebound stuff by the Grizzlies highlight reel on the previous possession was negated by an offensive goaltending call.
Memphis would stretch it to 32 with a one-handed alley-oop slam by Clarke and the Grizzlies were on their way to the third straight victory and sixth in the last seven.
Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said the key to the game was trying to control Memphis' transition offense. The team watched 20 or 30 plays regarding the Grizzlies running, and Lue warned his players that the Grizzlies "are too fast and too explosive offensively to give them easy baskets."
Memphis, which leads the league averaging 16.9 fastbreak points a game, already had 12 at halftime benefitting from the Clippers shooting 43% and committing eight turnovers. That translated to a 70-55 Memphis lead as Jackson had 17 points and Morant 16.
TIP-INS
Clippers: Powell, obtained with Covington from Portland, got his first start for the Clippers, starting at guard with Reggie Jackson, sending Amir Coffey to reserve status. …Marcus Morris Sr. drew a technical disputing a call late in the second quarter. Then he was ejected after receiving a Flagrant 2 when he took down Morant on a drive to the basket in the third quarter.
Grizzlies: Have won all four games in series this season. …Tuesday's game was only one of three home games for Memphis in February. "NBA seasons are NBA seasons. You're going to go through stretches like this," Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins said. "Obviously, you want to cherish time at home." …The league announced Tuesday afternoon that guard Desmond Bane will participate in the 3-point contest on All-Star weekend. He struggled from outside the arc going 0 for 5.
