Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Grizzlies, Blazers earn play-in spots
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — With their season on the line, Jonas Valanciunas and Ja Morant teamed up to make history and keep the Memphis Grizzlies’ playoff hopes alive.
Valanciunas and Morant had triple-doubles, Dillon Brooks scored 31 points, and the Grizzlies beat the Milwaukee Bucks 119-106 on Thursday to wrap up a spot in the play-in tournament that will determine the eighth and final seed in the Western Conference playoffs.
The Grizzlies will have to beat the Portland Trail Blazers twice to earn the No. 8 seed and right to face the No. 1 seed Los Angeles Lakers. The Blazers claimed their spot late Thursday night, surviving a last-second shot that could have ended their season in a 134-133 victory over the Brooklyn Nets.
The play-in round starts Saturday. If the Grizzlies win, the teams will play a winnertake-all game Sunday.
Memphis (34-39) hasn’t been to the playoffs the past two years after making seven straight postseason appearances from 2011-17.
“It’s great to see in a meaningful game that our guys just stuck with it,” Grizzlies Coach Taylor Jenkins said. “We’re going to need that on Saturday — even more and more and better and better.”
This marked the first time in franchise history that two Grizzlies had triple-doubles in a game. The team effort helped the Grizzlies bounce back after losing six of their first seven games since the NBA returned from a 41/2-month layoff.
“I’m happy that we responded,” said Valanciunas, who had 26 points, 19 rebounds and 12 assists. “We showed character. We’re not going home. We’re going to fight until the last second.”
Memphis never trailed while capitalizing on the fact Milwaukee was missing Giannis Antetokounmpo. The reigning MVP was serving a one-game suspension after head-butting Moritz Wagner in a 126-113 victory over the Washington Wizards on Tuesday.
“It was a good win today,” said Morant, who had 12 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists.
Valanciunas earned the game ball after getting his first triple-double in his 559th career NBA game. The 28-year-old Valanciunas’ previous career high in assists was five.
“I’m definitely going to keep that ball for a long time to show my kids that Daddy did it,” Valanciunas said.
This marked the first time two teammates posted triple-doubles in the same game since Miami’s Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler did it Dec. 10 in a 135-121 overtime victory over Atlanta.
Brook Lopez scored 19 to lead five Bucks in double figures. Frank Mason had 18, Donte DiVincenzo collected
17, Khris Middleton 14 and D.J. Wilson 12.
TRAIL BLAZERS 134, NETS 133
Damian Lillard sent Portland into the NBA’s first play-in series with 42 more points and a crucial steal, helping the Trail Blazers escape with a victory over Brooklyn.
The Trail Blazers secured the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference only after Brooklyn’s Caris LeVert, who scored 37 points, missed a jumper just before time expired.
Portland came into the day in eighth place, but would have fallen out of playoff position with a loss, thanks to victories earlier by Memphis and Phoenix. Had the Blazers lost, the Suns would have inched ahead of them into ninth.
But Lillard wouldn’t let the Blazers fall, following 51- and 61-point performances in the previous two games with more sensational scoring but also with a huge defensive play.
He chased down LeVert for a steal with Portland clinging to a two-point lead with 1:12 to play, setting up CJ McCollum’s free throws that made it 134-130. LeVert came back with a three-point play and had a chance to win it after Carmelo Anthony missed a three-pointer, but his jumper was off.
SUNS 128, MAVERICKS 102
Devin Booker scored 27 points to lead Phoenix past Dallas and keep the Suns’ playoff hopes alive for a few more hours until Portland’s victory later in the day ended their season.
Dario Saric scored 16 points, and Cameron Payne and Cameron Johnson each added 15 for the Suns.
Booker has been a breakout star in the bubble. The guard has averaged 30.5 points while shooting 50% from the field. He was more concerned about team goals after the game.
“We had one objective — to get better — and we did that,” Booker said. “I think we approached this with the right mindset from the beginning, from practices, from training camp in Phoenix, from the first two weeks we got down here, everybody was locked in on all cylinders.”
Dallas was already locked into a playoff matchup with the Los Angeles Clippers, so the starters played limited minutes. Luka Doncic, who had averaged 32 points, 11 rebounds and 11.3 assists in the bubble, finished with 18 points in just over 13 minutes. Boban Marjanovic, Dallas’ 7-4 reserve center, had 18 points and a career-high 20 rebounds.
JAZZ 118, SPURS 112
San Antonio’s record-tying run of 22 consecutive postseason appearances ended, with the Spurs being eliminated from contention for a spot in the Western Conference play-in series.
Rayjon Tucker (UALR Trojans) scored 18 points as Utah beat San Antonio. Jarrell Brantley added 13 for the Jazz, who used their regulars sparingly or not at all.
The Spurs were officially ousted when Memphis and Phoenix won before the Spurs tipped off.