Ja Morant scores 32 to help Grizzlies beat Celtics 127-121 and snap 10-game losing streak in Boston
BOSTON (AP) Ja Morant had 32 points, nine assists and nine rebounds, and the Memphis Grizzlies snapped a 10-game losing streak in Boston with a 127-121 win over the Celtics on Saturday night.
Jaren Jackson Jr. added 27 points and nine rebounds for Memphis, which won in TD Garden for the first time since Nov. 27, 2013. The Grizzlies have won eight of their last nine.
Jrue Holiday had 23 points for the Celtics, who went 18 for 60 from the 3-point line. Jaylen Brown and Payton Pritchard each finished with 22 points.
The Celtics erased a 14-point, third-quarter deficit, taking a 97-94 lead early in the fourth. Memphis rallied and led 117-115 with less than four minutes to play. The Grizzlies then scored seven straight to get it back up to 124-115 and were able to close it out.
Marcus Smart played in TD Garden for the first time since being dealt to Memphis as part of the three-team trade that brought Kristaps Porzingis to Boston in 2023. He played 19 minutes but was only 1 of 11 from the floor, finishing with three points.
Grizzlies: Morant had one of his best all-around efforts since returning from his hip injury last month. He showed explosiveness offensively, throwing down a double-clutch reverse dunk. He also facilitated for his teammates in the halfcourt, a solid sign in just his sixth game back.
Celtics: The Celtics lost for the first time this season on the second night of a back-to-back (4-1).
Smart checked into the game at the 8:50 mark of the first quarter and acknowledged a standing ovation from Celtics fans, stopping to wave to the crowd.
Memphis outscored Boston 64-40 in the paint.
The Grizzlies visit the Washington Wizards on Sunday. The Celtics host the Detroit Pistons on Thursday.
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| Time | Team | Play | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12:00 |  | Jaren Jackson Jr. vs. Kristaps Porzingis (Desmond Bane gains possession) | ||
| 11:46 |  | Jaylen Wells turnover (out of bounds bad pass) | ||
| 11:33 | | Derrick White misses three point jump shot | ||
| 11:30 | | Jaren Jackson Jr. defensive rebound | ||
| 11:11 | | +2 | Desmond Bane makes two point driving finger roll layup | 2-0 |
| 11:01 | | Jrue Holiday misses three point pullup jump shot | ||
| 10:57 | | Jaren Jackson Jr. defensive rebound | ||
| 10:46 | | Desmond Bane misses three point stepback jump shot | ||
| 10:44 | | Jaylen Wells offensive rebound | ||
| 10:39 | | Jaren Jackson Jr. misses two point hook shot | ||
| 10:37 | | Jayson Tatum defensive rebound | ||
| 10:27 | | Jayson Tatum misses three point pullup jump shot | ||
| 10:23 | | Desmond Bane defensive rebound | ||
| 10:08 | | Desmond Bane misses two point driving layup | ||
| 10:05 | | Brandon Clarke offensive rebound | ||
| 10:05 | | Brandon Clarke misses two point tip layup | ||
| 10:04 | | Jaylen Brown defensive rebound | ||
| 10:04 | | +2 | Jayson Tatum makes two point running layup (Jaylen Brown assists) | 2-2 |
| 9:50 | | +2 | Brandon Clarke makes two point driving bank hook shot (Jaren Jackson Jr. assists) | 4-2 |
| 9:34 | | Jaren Jackson Jr. blocks Jrue Holiday's two point cutting layup | ||
| 9:32 | | Ja Morant defensive rebound | ||
| 9:31 | | Jayson Tatum shooting foul (Ja Morant draws the foul) | ||
| 9:31 | | +1 | Ja Morant makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 5-2 |
| 9:31 | | +1 | Ja Morant makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 6-2 |
| 9:19 | | Jrue Holiday misses three point jump shot | ||
| 9:16 | | Jaren Jackson Jr. defensive rebound | ||
| 9:10 | | Jrue Holiday blocks Ja Morant's two point driving layup | ||
| 9:07 | | Ja Morant offensive rebound | ||
| 9:05 | | Kristaps Porzingis blocks Ja Morant's two point reverse layup | ||
| 9:02 | | Jayson Tatum defensive rebound | ||
| 8:55 | | Brandon Clarke blocks Kristaps Porzingis's two point driving floating jump shot | ||
| 8:52 | | Ja Morant defensive rebound | ||
| 8:50 | | Desmond Bane offensive foul (Charge) (Derrick White draws the foul) | ||
| 8:50 | | Desmond Bane turnover (offensive foul) | ||
| 8:38 | | +3 | Jrue Holiday makes three point jump shot (Jaylen Brown assists) | 6-5 |
| 8:30 | | Marcus Smart misses two point pullup jump shot | ||
| 8:27 | | Jayson Tatum defensive rebound | ||
| 8:20 | | Jrue Holiday misses three point jump shot | ||
| 8:18 | | Kristaps Porzingis offensive rebound | ||
| 8:10 | | Jrue Holiday misses three point pullup jump shot | ||
| 8:07 | | Brandon Clarke defensive rebound | ||
| 7:58 | | +2 | Jaren Jackson Jr. makes two point driving layup (Brandon Clarke assists) | 8-5 |
| 7:44 | | +3 | Derrick White makes three point jump shot (Kristaps Porzingis assists) | 8-8 |
| 7:26 | | +3 | Ja Morant makes three point pullup jump shot (Desmond Bane assists) | 11-8 |
| 7:14 | | Kristaps Porzingis misses three point jump shot | ||
| 7:11 | | Brandon Clarke defensive rebound | ||
| 7:07 | | +2 | Brandon Clarke makes two point running layup | 13-8 |
| 7:07 | | Celtics 60 second timeout | ||
| 6:54 | | Kristaps Porzingis misses three point jump shot | ||
| 6:50 | | Ja Morant defensive rebound | ||
| 6:48 | | +3 | Desmond Bane makes three point running pullup jump shot (Ja Morant assists) | 16-8 |
| 6:28 | | Jrue Holiday misses three point pullup jump shot | ||
| 6:25 | | Ja Morant defensive rebound | ||
| 6:15 | | +2 | Jaren Jackson Jr. makes two point driving hook shot | 18-8 |
| 6:05 | | +2 | Jrue Holiday makes two point driving reverse layup (Jaylen Brown assists) | 18-10 |
| 6:05 | | Jaren Jackson Jr. shooting foul (Jrue Holiday draws the foul) | ||
| 6:05 | | Jrue Holiday misses regular free throw 1 of 1 | ||
| 6:05 | | Ja Morant defensive rebound | ||
| 5:53 | | Marcus Smart turnover (traveling) | ||
| 5:43 | | +3 | Jrue Holiday makes three point jump shot (Jayson Tatum assists) | 18-13 |
| 5:35 | | +2 | Ja Morant makes two point driving floating jump shot | 20-13 |
| 5:35 | | Kristaps Porzingis shooting foul (Ja Morant draws the foul) | ||
| 5:35 | | +1 | Ja Morant makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 21-13 |
| 5:22 | | Ja Morant personal foul (Jayson Tatum draws the foul) | ||
| 5:18 | | +3 | Payton Pritchard makes three point jump shot (Kristaps Porzingis assists) | 21-16 |
| 5:11 | | Marcus Smart turnover (out of bounds bad pass) | ||
| 4:57 | | +3 | Jrue Holiday makes three point jump shot (Jayson Tatum assists) | 21-19 |
| 4:43 | | +3 | Ja Morant makes three point jump shot (Desmond Bane assists) | 24-19 |
| 4:32 | | Sam Hauser misses three point jump shot | ||
| 4:30 | | Jay Huff defensive rebound | ||
| 4:23 | | Desmond Bane turnover (bad pass) (Payton Pritchard steals) | ||
| 4:16 | | Jay Huff blocks Kristaps Porzingis's two point running layup | ||
| 4:16 | | Celtics offensive rebound | ||
| 4:13 | | Jayson Tatum misses three point pullup jump shot | ||
| 4:11 | | Neemias Queta offensive rebound | ||
| 4:10 | | Neemias Queta turnover (lost ball) (Marcus Smart steals) | ||
| 4:00 | | Jayson Tatum shooting foul (Santi Aldama draws the foul) | ||
| 4:00 | | +1 | Santi Aldama makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 25-19 |
| 4:00 | | +1 | Santi Aldama makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 26-19 |
| 3:50 | | Jayson Tatum misses three point jump shot | ||
| 3:47 | | Jay Huff defensive rebound | ||
| 3:42 | | Neemias Queta shooting foul (Jay Huff draws the foul) | ||
| 3:42 | | +1 | Jay Huff makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 27-19 |
| 3:42 | | +1 | Jay Huff makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 28-19 |
| 3:27 | | +2 | Neemias Queta makes two point cutting dunk (Derrick White assists) | 28-21 |
| 3:12 | | Marcus Smart misses two point fadeaway jump shot | ||
| 3:10 | | Neemias Queta defensive rebound | ||
| 3:00 | | Jayson Tatum misses two point driving layup | ||
| 2:57 | | Jake LaRavia defensive rebound | ||
| 2:51 | | Marcus Smart misses three point jump shot | ||
| 2:48 | | Payton Pritchard defensive rebound | ||
| 2:43 | | Sam Hauser misses three point running jump shot | ||
| 2:40 | | Santi Aldama defensive rebound | ||
| 2:30 | | Marcus Smart misses three point jump shot | ||
| 2:27 | | Marcus Smart offensive rebound | ||
| 2:23 | | Neemias Queta blocks Marcus Smart's two point driving reverse layup | ||
| 2:20 | | Payton Pritchard defensive rebound | ||
| 2:13 | | +3 | Payton Pritchard makes three point pullup jump shot | 28-24 |
| 2:12 | | Grizzlies 60 second timeout | ||
| 1:56 | | Payton Pritchard personal foul (Scotty Pippen Jr. draws the foul) | ||
| 1:56 | | Scotty Pippen Jr. misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | ||
| 1:56 | | Grizzlies offensive rebound | ||
| 1:56 | | Scotty Pippen Jr. misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | ||
| 1:54 | | Sam Hauser defensive rebound | ||
| 1:46 | | Payton Pritchard misses three point stepback jump shot | ||
| 1:42 | | Jay Huff defensive rebound | ||
| 1:39 | | +3 | Jaylen Wells makes three point running pullup jump shot (Jay Huff assists) | 31-24 |
| 1:17 | | Jayson Tatum misses three point pullup jump shot | ||
| 1:17 | | Grizzlies defensive rebound | ||
| 1:03 | | Jake LaRavia misses two point driving floating bank jump shot | ||
| 1:02 | | Payton Pritchard defensive rebound | ||
| 0:54 | | Derrick White turnover (bad pass) (Jake LaRavia steals) | ||
| 0:51 | | Jake LaRavia turnover (lost ball) (Derrick White steals) | ||
| 0:31 | | +3 | Payton Pritchard makes three point jump shot (Neemias Queta assists) | 31-27 |
| 0:25 | | Jaylen Wells misses three point jump shot | ||
| 0:23 | | Jayson Tatum defensive rebound | ||
| 0:06 | | Jaylen Wells personal foul (Derrick White draws the foul) | ||
| 0:00 | | Jayson Tatum misses three point stepback jump shot | ||
| 0:00 | | Celtics offensive rebound | ||
| 0:00 | | End of period |