Morant's career-high 46 points carry Grizzlies past Bulls
CHICAGO (AP) — Ja Morant scored a career-high 46 points and the Memphis Grizzlies hung on to beat DeMar DeRozan and the Chicago Bulls 116-110 on Saturday night.
The Grizzlies hung on after letting a 17-point lead shrink to one and came away with the win after losing two in a row. They also stopped Chicago’s six-game winning streak.
Morant surpassed his previous high of 44 points. He scored 20 points in the third quarter and made 15 of 28 shots.
Steven Adams added 12 points and a season-high 21 rebounds, and the Grizzlies frustrated DeRozan even though the five-time All-Star scored 31 points.
That gave DeRozan 10 straight 30-point games, the longest such streak by a Bulls player since Michael Jordan did it in 10 straight from Dec. 25, 1990, to Jan. 14, 1991. But he was 10 of 29 from the field, ending his NBA-record run of eight games of scoring at least 35 while shooting 50% or better.
Zach LaVine scored 28 points in his second game back after missing the final three prior to the All-Star break because of his ailing left knee.
Memphis led by 17 in the third, with Morant going off in the quarter. He made 7 of 14 shots, including two 3s and a soaring alley-oop dunk near the end of the period.
It was a 16-point game early in the fourth when the Bulls reeled off a 14-0 run, with DeRozan hitting two free throws to cut it to 101-99 with 4:38 remaining.
Chicago's Coby White cut it to 106-105 when he nailed a 3 with about 2:30 remaining. Morant then hit two free throws before DeRozan drove for a layup.
Desmond Bane hit a 3 to bump the lead to 111-107. The Bulls' Nikola Vucevic made a foul shot, and Bane and Morant missed jumpers before LaVine hit two free throws to cut it to 111-110 with 25.5 seconds remaining.
Tyus Jones then hit a pair for Memphis to make it a three-point game. DeRozan argued a no-call after he missed in the lane and picked up his second technical after getting one earlier in the game, earning an ejection.
Morant, who got fouled by LaVine in the scramble, then made the technical free throw and two more foul shots to bump the lead to 116-110 with 5.3 seconds remaining.
TIP-INS
Grizzlies: The Grizzlies have won four straight against Chicago. ... Coach Taylor Jenkins said Morant was feeling “really good” following treatments after his hip tightened Thursday night in a loss at Minnesota.
Bulls: The Bulls hope to have G Alex Caruso (broken right wrist) resume basketball activities during the upcoming week, coach Billy Donovan said. Caruso was injured Jan. 21 when Milwaukee's Grayson Allen took him down and had surgery.
UP NEXT
Grizzlies: Host San Antonio on Monday night.
Bulls: At Miami on Monday night.
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