JAREN Jackson Jr. scored a season-high 37 points while Ja Morant added 17 off the bench in his return from an eight-game suspension as the Memphis Grizzlies secured the Southwest Division title with a 130-125 victory over the visiting Houston Rockets on Wednesday (Thursday in Manila).
Jackson gave the Grizzlies a 120-116 lead by making three free throws and Memphis won a critical replay reversal when a foul against Morant was overturned and given to Rockets center Alperen Sengun, who fouled out with 1:26 left after pairing 25 points with eight rebounds. Desmond Bane (20 points, seven assists) scored on the ensuing Memphis possession.
Jackson made 14 of 20 shots from the field in the win. Morant played as a reserve for the first time in his career as Memphis extended its winning streak to four games. Jackson added 10 rebounds and two blocks.
Jalen Green scored 32 points while Kenyon Martin Jr. added a career-high 31 for the Rockets. Kevin Porter Jr. (14 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists) posted his second career triple-double for Houston, which received 16 points and four 3-pointers from rookie Jabari Smith Jr.
In other games, it was the Warriors 127, Mavs 125; Sixers 116, Bulls 91; Nuggets 118, Wizards 104; Lakers 122, Suns 111; Pacers 118, Raptors 114; Heat 127, Knicks 120; Bucks 130, Spurs 94; Blazers 127, Jazz 115; and Wolves 125, Hawks 124.
Warriors 127, Mavs 125
Jonathan Kuminga had a team-high 22 points off the bench, Draymond Green and Stephen Curry hit key hoops down the stretch, and Golden State scored a big win over host Dallas.
The result had major short-term ramifications in the Western Conference playoff race, with Golden State not only moving 1 1/2 games up on Dallas but also gaining a tiebreaker advantage by claiming the season series 2-1. The game also featured a controversial play late in the third quarter, with the Mavericks vowing to file a formal protest to the NBA, alleging a mistake by referees led to two uncontested points by the Warriors.
Curry finished with 20 points and a team-high 13 assists for the Warriors, and Kevon Looney added 12 points and 12 rebounds. In his return from a five-game absence due to a strained thigh, Luka Doncic paced the Mavericks with 30 points, 17 assists and seven rebounds.
Sixers 116, Bulls 91
De’Anthony Melton scored 25 points and Tyrese Maxey chipped in 21 as visiting Philadelphia routed Chicago for its ninth victory in 10 games.
Tobias Harris had 20 points, nine rebounds and eight assists for Philadelphia. Joel Embiid added 12 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in 16-plus minutes for Philadelphia. Embiid did not return to the team bench for the second half (mild calf tightness).
Chicago leading scorer DeMar DeRozan sustained a right quad strain and did not return after leaving the game in the third quarter. He scored four points, all on free throws. Coby White paced the Bulls with 19 points, while Zach LaVine followed with 16. Andre Drummond notched a double-double of 13 points and 12 rebounds.
