Morant's 21-point, 12-assist performance carries Grizzlies past Wembanyama and the Spurs 129-115

AP
Jan 15, 2025

SAN ANTONIO (AP) Ja Morant had 21 points and 12 assists to lead the Memphis Grizzlies to a 129-115 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night.

Desmond Bane scored 21 points, Santi Aldama added 20 and Jaren Jackson Jr. 19 for Memphis, which had lost four of its last six games entering Wednesday.

Memphis attacked Spurs 7-foot-3 center Victor Wembanayma often and early.

Morant hit a one-handed, fadeaway floater over Wembanyama for the game’s first basket. Later, Morant soared over Wembanyama for a one-handed slam dunk with just over two minutes remaining, but the basket didn't count because it came after play was stopped by a referee's whistle.

Grizzlies rookie center Zach Edey tossed in a hook shot over Wembanyama and later pushed his way past the center for a two-handed dunk in the first quarter.

San Antonio rookie Stephon Castle had a season-high 26 points and Wembanyama finished 13 points, 12 rebounds and eight blocks.

All of Wembanyama's blocks came in the first half. Memphis outscored San Antonio 78-52 in the final two quarters.

Grizzlies: Edey had six points and five rebounds and was the primary defender on Wembanyama.

Spurs: Castle scored 24 points in the second half on 8-for-16 shooting.

Wembanyama blocked Edey's dunk attempt with nine seconds remaining in the first quarter and then blocked Aldama's follow on the same possession. Bane was able to gather the blocked shot and sank a 3-pointer that cut San Antonio's lead to 30-28 with six seconds remaining in the first quarter. The Grizzlies continued to overcome Wembanyama's presence in the paint, especially after a defensive stand by the Spurs center.

Wembanyama has five games with eight or more blocks this season.

Spurs and Grizzlies close a two-game set in San Antonio on Friday.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA

1st Quarter
MEM
Grizzlies
28
SA
Spurs
30

Time		Play	Score
12:00		Zach Edey vs. Victor Wembanyama (Grizzlies gains possession)
11:59		Victor Wembanyama personal foul (Zach Edey draws the foul)
11:41	+2	Ja Morant makes two point driving floating jump shot	2-0
11:25		Devin Vassell turnover (out of bounds step)
11:15		Jaren Jackson Jr. misses two point driving hook shot
11:12		Harrison Barnes defensive rebound
10:56		Stephon Castle misses two point driving floating jump shot
10:54		Ja Morant defensive rebound
10:48	+2	Zach Edey makes two point turnaround bank hook shot (Ja Morant assists)	4-0
10:32		Stephon Castle misses three point jump shot
10:30		Zach Edey defensive rebound
10:16	+2	Zach Edey makes two point turnaround bank hook shot (Ja Morant assists)	6-0
9:55	+2	Victor Wembanyama makes two point jump shot (Devin Vassell assists)	6-2
9:43	+2	Desmond Bane makes two point pullup jump shot	8-2
9:36		Desmond Bane personal foul (Devin Vassell draws the foul)
9:26		Victor Wembanyama misses two point pullup jump shot
9:24		Ja Morant defensive rebound
9:09	+2	Zach Edey makes two point driving dunk	10-2
8:56		Jaylen Wells personal foul (Chris Paul draws the foul)
8:40	+2	Harrison Barnes makes two point fadeaway bank jump shot	10-4
8:33		Stephon Castle shooting foul (Ja Morant draws the foul)
8:33	+1	Ja Morant makes regular free throw 1 of 2	11-4
8:33	+1	Ja Morant makes regular free throw 2 of 2	12-4
8:24	+3	Stephon Castle makes three point pullup jump shot	12-7
8:09		Jaren Jackson Jr. misses two point turnaround hook shot
8:07		Victor Wembanyama defensive rebound
8:03	+3	Victor Wembanyama makes three point jump shot (Harrison Barnes assists)	12-10
7:46		Jaylen Wells misses three point jump shot
7:43		Devin Vassell defensive rebound
7:39		Jaren Jackson Jr. shooting foul (Stephon Castle draws the foul)
7:39	+1	Stephon Castle makes regular free throw 1 of 2	12-11
7:39		Stephon Castle misses regular free throw 2 of 2
7:38		Stephon Castle offensive rebound
7:37		Harrison Barnes misses three point jump shot
7:34		Luke Kennard defensive rebound
7:23	+2	Jaren Jackson Jr. makes two point driving bank hook shot	14-11
7:15		Devin Vassell misses three point bank jump shot
7:15		Grizzlies defensive rebound
7:05		Desmond Bane misses three point pullup jump shot
7:02		Luke Kennard offensive rebound
6:53		Victor Wembanyama blocks Jaylen Wells's two point layup
6:53		Victor Wembanyama defensive rebound
6:39		Victor Wembanyama misses three point jump shot
6:35		Devin Vassell offensive rebound
6:23		Keldon Johnson misses three point jump shot
6:18		Luke Kennard defensive rebound
6:11		Luke Kennard misses three point running jump shot
6:09		Devin Vassell defensive rebound
6:05	+3	Devin Vassell makes three point running jump shot (Harrison Barnes assists)	14-14
6:01		Grizzlies 60 second timeout
5:49	+2	Brandon Clarke makes two point alley-oop layup (Ja Morant assists)	16-14
5:25		Devin Vassell misses two point jump shot
5:22		Santi Aldama defensive rebound
5:10	+3	Santi Aldama makes three point jump shot (Ja Morant assists)	19-14
4:58	+2	Keldon Johnson makes two point driving floating jump shot (Tre Jones assists)	19-16
4:41		Luke Kennard turnover (bad pass) (Charles Bassey steals)
4:36		Devin Vassell misses three point running jump shot
4:34		Brandon Clarke defensive rebound
4:24		Jaylen Wells misses three point jump shot
4:21		Charles Bassey defensive rebound
4:11		Jaylen Wells shooting foul (Tre Jones draws the foul)
4:11	+1	Tre Jones makes regular free throw 1 of 2	19-17
4:11	+1	Tre Jones makes regular free throw 2 of 2	19-18
4:03		Charles Bassey personal foul (Ja Morant draws the foul)
3:53		Charles Bassey blocks Brandon Clarke's two point cutting finger roll layup
3:51		Grizzlies offensive rebound
3:47	+2	Ja Morant makes two point reverse layup (Brandon Clarke assists)	21-18
3:36		Keldon Johnson turnover (bad pass) (Brandon Clarke steals)
3:31	+2	Santi Aldama makes two point running layup (Ja Morant assists)	23-18
3:27		Spurs 60 second timeout
3:04		Keldon Johnson misses two point driving finger roll layup
3:01		Charles Bassey offensive rebound
3:01	+2	Charles Bassey makes two point tip layup	23-20
2:57	+2	Ja Morant makes two point driving layup	25-20
2:50	+3	Keldon Johnson makes three point jump shot (Tre Jones assists)	25-23
2:36		Brandon Clarke turnover (3-second violation)
2:27		Jake LaRavia personal foul (Keldon Johnson draws the foul)
2:27	+1	Keldon Johnson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	25-24
2:27	+1	Keldon Johnson makes regular free throw 2 of 2	25-25
2:07		Victor Wembanyama blocks Jaren Jackson Jr.'s two point driving hook shot
2:04		Keldon Johnson defensive rebound
1:55		Keldon Johnson misses three point jump shot
1:53		Grizzlies defensive rebound
1:43		Jaren Jackson Jr. turnover (traveling)
1:27		Victor Wembanyama misses two point bank jump shot
1:25		Luke Kennard defensive rebound
1:11		Desmond Bane misses two point pullup jump shot
1:08		Victor Wembanyama defensive rebound
0:52	+3	Tre Jones makes three point jump shot (Stephon Castle assists)	25-28
0:38		Desmond Bane misses two point driving floating bank jump shot
0:36		Victor Wembanyama defensive rebound
0:33		Luke Kennard shooting foul (Keldon Johnson draws the foul)
0:33	+1	Keldon Johnson makes regular free throw 1 of 2	25-29
0:33	+1	Keldon Johnson makes regular free throw 2 of 2	25-30
0:17		Ja Morant misses three point jump shot
0:14		Zach Edey offensive rebound
0:09		Zach Edey turnover (bad pass) (Victor Wembanyama steals)
0:08		Victor Wembanyama turnover (bad pass) (Zach Edey steals)
0:08		Victor Wembanyama blocks Zach Edey's two point dunk
0:08		Santi Aldama offensive rebound
0:08		Victor Wembanyama blocks Santi Aldama's two point jump shot
0:08		Desmond Bane offensive rebound
0:05	+3	Desmond Bane makes three point jump shot	28-30
0:00		Julian Champagnie misses three point jump shot
0:00		Grizzlies defensive rebound
0:00		End of period

Morant's 21-point, 12-assist performance carries Grizzlies past Wembanyama and the Spurs 129-115

1st Quarter MEMGrizzlies28SASpurs30

1st Quarter
MEM
Grizzlies
28
SA
Spurs
30