Morant scores 49 points in Grizzlies’ win over Rockets

HOUSTON >> Ja Morant scored 49 points and hit five 3-pointers to lead the Memphis Grizzlies to a 129122 victory over the Houston Rockets on Friday night.

Morant carried the team on a night Desmond Bane and Tyus Jones struggled. Bane made just 3 of 16 shots for 14 points and Jones was 4 for 13 with 11 points.

The Rockets led by 16 in the first half before the Grizzlies used a big run to start the third quarter and take the lead.

Jalen Green, the second pick in the 2021 draft, led the Rockets with 33 points. But he struggled after halftime and scored just 13 points in the second half. Alperen Sengun added 23 points for the Rockets, who fell to 0-2.

CELTICS 111, HEAT 104 >> Jayson Tatum scored 29 points, Jaylen Brown added 28 and Boston beat Miami in a rematch of last season’s Eastern Conference finals.

The Celtics — whose most recent trip to Miami was a Game 7 win in that playoff series — outscored Miami 42-24 from 3-point range, and improved to 2-0 under interim coach Joe Mazzulla.

Tyler Herro scored 25 points for Miami, which got 19 from Bam Adebayo, 18 from Jimmy Butler and 17 from Kyle Lowry.

NETS 109, RAPTORS 105 >> Kevin Durant broke a tie with a 3-pointer with 56 seconds left and had 27 points to help Brooklyn beat Toronto.

Pascal Siakam led the Raptors with 37 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists. Fred VanVleet added 18 points and Scottie Barnes had 17.

KNICKS 130, PISTONS 106 >> Jalen Brunson scored 17 points in his first home game at Madison Square Garden, Immanuel Quickley bounced back from a rough opener with 20 points and New York beat Detroit for its first victory of the season.

Saddiq Bey scored 26 points for the Pistons, who beat Orlando in their opener.

JAZZ 132, TIMBERWOLVES 126, OT >> Jordan Clarkson scored 29 points on 7-for12 shooting from 3-point range to lead Utah’s rally, and the Jazz outlasted former teammate Rudy Gobert and Minnesota in overtime.

PELICANS 124, HORNETS 112 >> Jonas Valanciunas had 30 points and 17 rebounds and New Orleans spoiled Charlotte’s home opener with a wire-to-wire victory.

Terry Rozier flirted with a triple-double for the Hornets with 23 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds. Gordon Hayward had 26 points on 12-of-19 shooting and added seven assists.

WIZARDS 102, BULLS 100 >> Bradley Beal’s leaning bank shot with 7.4 seconds remaining lifted Washington past Chicago in its first home game since the star guard signed his massive new contract.

Washington blew a 17-point third-quarter lead in its home opener, but with the game tied at 100 and the shot clock running down, Beal’s shot off the glass dropped through to give the Wizards the lead. Following a timeout, DeMar DeRozan’s 3-pointer was just off the mark for Chicago.

SPURS 137, PACERS 134 >> Josh Richardson scored 27 points and Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson each had 23 as San Antonio survived a frantic final minute flurry to beat Indiana.

HAWKS 108, MAGIC 98 >> Trae Young overcame a scoreless first half to finish with 25 points and 13 assists, John Collins added 23 points and 13 rebounds and Atlanta beat Orlando.

BLAZERS 113, SUNS 111 (OT) >> Damian Lillard scored 41 points and the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Phoenix Suns 113-111 in overtime Friday night for their second straight victory to open the season.

Anfernee Simons made a layup with 7.2 seconds left in overtime and finished with 16 points. Jusuf Nurkic had 20 points and 17 rebounds.

Devin Booker led Phoenix with 33 points.