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Morant fires Grizzlies in win over Bucks, Rockets hold off Mavs / Photo: © GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
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Morant fires Grizzlies in win over Bucks, Rockets hold off Mavs
Ja Morant's 12th career triple-double fired the Memphis Grizzlies to a 122-99 NBA victory over the reeling Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday as Houston edged the Dallas Mavericks.
Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 37 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, but teammate Damian Lillard was held to four points on 1-of-12 shooting.
Brook Lopez was Milwaukee's next-highest scorer with 12 points as the Bucks dropped their fourth straight after opening the season with a win over injury-hit Philadelphia.
Morant was the engine, scoring 26 points with 10 rebounds and 14 assists.
"I just came out being aggressive, took what the defense gave me," said Morant, who piled up 21 points in the first half to help Memphis build a 70-48 lead.
He had plenty of support as seven Grizzlies players, including all five starters, scored in double figures. Milwaukee never got the deficit below 18 points in the second half.
"Everybody was kind of in a good rhythm, we got it going early," Morant said after Memphis bounced back from a lethargic loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday.
"We got stops," he said. "We were boxing out, we were getting out running, playing our game. That's how we want to play. If we want to do something in this league, that's what we've got to do each and every night."
The Bucks are clearly missing the contribution of injured Khris Middleton, who has yet to play this season as he recovers from an ankle injury.
"I thought we played with the right spirit," Bucks coach Doc Rivers said. "We didn't make shots and you're going to have nights like that. But on those nights we have to find a way to get stops.
"Morant had a free pass tonight as far as driving ... we've got to do a better job of trying to figure out how to contain guards like that," Rivers said.
In Dallas, the Rockets finally got the better of their Texas rivals, leading by as many as 23 points and hanging on for a 108-102 victory.
Jalen Green scored 23 points and pulled down 12 rebounds for the Rockets, who had lost six of their last seven games against the Mavs.
Green scored 11 in the fourth quarter to help the Rockets fend off a late Dallas surge. Dillon Brooks and Alperen Sengun added 17 points apiece for Houston, who out-rebounded Dallas 50-37.
Mavs star Luka Doncic scored 15 of his 29 points in the final period, his step back three-pointer with 1:08 remaining pulling Dallas within three points.
Amen Thompson and Brooks responded with baskets and the Rockets held on.
Kyrie Irving scored 28 points for the Mavs, but Klay Thompson was the only other Dallas player to score in double figures with 12.
N. Nilsson--BTZ
