Parker, Spurs send Grizzlies to 14th straight loss
(Reuters) Tony Parker scored a seasonhigh 23 points off the bench as the San Antonio reserves were the difference in a taut 100-98 Spurs’ victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas.
San Antonio got 67 points from its bench, including 17 from Davis Bertans and 15 points from Danny Green. The Spurs ended a two-game losing streak but won for just the second time in eight games.
Kyle Anderson, with 11 points, was the only Spurs starter in double figures. LaMarcus Aldridge returned to the lineup for San Antonio after missing a game and a half with a sprained right ankle and was largely ineffective, scoring seven points and grabbing eight rebounds in more than 31 minutes of court time.
Marc Gasol, originally listed as out in the pregame injury report, led the Grizzlies with 23 points and took 10 rebounds. Memphis, who owns the NBA’s worst record, has lost 14 games in a row and 12 straight contests on the road, dating back to December. Jaylen Brown scored 21 points, and Boston thrived despite the absence of Kyrie Irving to notch a victory over host Chicago.
Jayson Tatum added 14 points, Al Horford and Terry Rozier scored 13 apiece and Greg Monroe contributed 10 points and nine rebounds as Boston won for the fifth time in the past six games. Irving was held out due to a sore left knee, but the Celtics built a 26-point halftime lead and were never threatened by the Bulls.
Denzel Valentine matched his career best of 20 points for Chicago, which lost for the sixth time in the past seven games.
Lauri Markkanen added 12 points, and David Nwaba and Cameron Payne scored 10 apiece. LeBron James racked up 31 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in three quarters, and Cleveland pounded struggling Detroit in Cleveland.
Larry Nance Jr. supplied 22 points and 15 rebounds after being inserted into the starting lineup. He replaced starting center Tristan Thompson, who suffered an ankle sprain against Denver on Saturday that will sideline him for multiple games. Blake Griffin led the Pistons, who have lost three straight and nine of their last 11 games, with 25 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Andre Drummond contributed 15 points and nine rebounds, and Reggie Bullock tossed in 11 points for Detroit. Bojan Bogdanovic matched a season high with 29 points to help Indiana hang on for a victory against Milwaukee in Indianapolis.
Victor Oladpio added 14 points, both Lance Stephenson and Domantas
Sabonis had 11 and Thaddeus Young totaled 10 and seven rebounds as the Pacers won for the third straight game and the seventh time in nine contests.
Eric Bledsoe scored 26 points and Giannis Antetokounmpo had 18 with 12 rebounds for Milwaukee, which fell back to the loss column after Sunday’s comefrom-behind win against Philadelphia snapped a season-high-tying four-game skid. Damian Lillard scored 19 of his 39 points in the fourth quarter as visiting Portland came from behind to defeat Los Angeles. Lillard knocked down four straight 3point shots, as the Trail Blazers rallied from an 11-point deficit in the final 5:26 to win their seventh game in a row.
CJ McCollum added 22 points and Jusuf Nurkic collected 16 points and 16 rebounds, as Portland beat the Lakers for the 15th consecutive time dating to March 2014. Julius Randle had 21 points and nine rebounds and Isaiah Thomas chipped in 19 points despite a 5-for-21 shooting performance for the Lakers, who saw the end to a five-game win streak.