Morant, Grizzlies beat Spurs 129-112 for 6th straight win
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Ja Morant had 19 points and 11 assists, and the Memphis Grizzlies beat the San Antonio Spurs 129-112 on Saturday night for their sixth straight victory.
Memphis shot 56% from the field and had seven players score in double figures. De’Anthony Melton had 20 points, and former Spurs forward Kyle Anderson finished with 16. Reserves Gorgui Dieng and Desmond Bane added 15 points apiece.
The teams remain in San Antonio for the finale of a two-game set Monday.
Spurs guard Derrick White had 18 points in his return from a 14-game absence due to a toe injury. Dejounte Murray scored 15 points, and LaMarcus Aldridge had 14.
San Antonio had won three in a row.
The Spurs attempted to rally from a deficit that grew to 18 points, but the Grizzlies responded aggressively on defense each time.
After Morant had the ball stolen, Anderson picked off a pass from Patty Mills that led to a dunk by John Konchar for a 104-92 lead two minutes into the final quarter.
Memphis had seven steals and San Antonio committed 14 turnovers.
After San Antonio pulled within six with seven minutes left, Melton drained a 3-footer to extend the lead to 109-100.
Playing without injured forwards Jaren Jackson and Justice Winslow, the Grizzlies still outscored the Spurs 56-42 in the paint.
TIP-INS
Grizzlies: C Jonas Valanciunas was active but did not play after missing Monday’s game while in the league’s health and safety protocol. Valanciunas is expected to play Monday against San Antonio. … Reserve PG Grayson Allen is in the league’s health and safety protocols and is not with the team on this road trip. … Morant had 44 points and nine assists in the Grizzlies’ season-opening 131-119 loss to the Spurs on Dec. 23.
Spurs: DeMar DeRozan was assessed a technical foul two minutes into the second half after getting tangled up with Dillon Brooks. DeRozan bumped into Brooks’ chest to clear some space for a layup and the two had to be separated, but DeRozan was the only one to receive a technical foul. … Aldridge collected his 3,000th rebound with the Spurs, joining Tim Duncan, David Robinson, George Gervin, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili as the only players in franchise history to accomplish the milestone.
