25 and counting as Pistons fall to Jazz
Grizzlies top Pacers in Morant’s home debut
DETROIT — Kelly Olynyk scored 25 points and the short-handed Utah Jazz beat Detroit 119-111 on Thursday night for the Pistons’ 25th straight loss — one short of the NBA single season record.
The 2010-11 Cleveland Cavaliers and 2013-14 Philadelphia 76ers share the record at 26. The 76ers hold the overall mark at 28, a skid that started in the 201415 season and carried over into 2015-16.
Back in action Saturday night in Brooklyn, the Pistons are 2-26 under firstyear coach Monty Williams.
Utah played without four of its top seven scorers — Lauri Markkanen, Jordan Clarkson, Keyonte George and Talen Horton-Tucker — on the second night of a back-to-back after losing at Cleveland on Wednesday.
Collin Sexton added 19 points for Utah, and Ochai Agbaji had 18.
Cade Cunningham led Detroit with 28 points and 10 assists. Jaden Ivey added 24 points and Marvin Bagley III had 22.
GRIZZLIES 115, PACERS
103: In Memphis, Tenn., Ja Morant had 20 points and eight assists in his first home game following a 25-game suspension to help Memphis beat Indiana.
Desmond Bane led Memphis with 31 points and also had seven assists. Jaren Jackson Jr. added 21 points and seven rebounds.
Memphis was still relishing in Morant’s return Tuesday night in New Orleans when he scored 34 points and made the winning, spinning layup as time expired. He was suspended by the NBA for waving a gun at least twice on social media.
Obi Toppin led Indiana with 22 points.
THUNDER 134, CLIPPERS
115: In Oklahoma City, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 points, Chet Holmgren gave Oklahoma City the lead for good with a dunk he threw off the backboard to himself and the Thunder ended Los Angeles’ ninegame winning streak.
Holmgren had with 23 points and Lu Dort added 21 for the Thunder, who shot 58.6% from the field to win for the fifth time in six games.
James Harden scored 23 points and Paul George added 22 for the Clippers, who hadn’t lost since falling at Golden State on Nov. 30. Los Angeles forward Kawhi
Leonard was out with a bruised right hip.
BUCKS 118, MAGIC 114: In Milwaukee, Giannis Antetokounmpo had 37 points, 10 rebounds and six assists and Milwaukee beat Orlando for its sixth consecutive victory — all at home on the longest homestand of the season.
The Bucks have won 15 straight games at Fiserv Forum, their longest single-season home winning streak since 1991-92.
Damian Lillard added 24 points and eight assists for Milwaukee. Franz Wagner scored 29 points for Orlando. The Magic have lost four in a row.
BULLS 114, SPURS 95: In Chicago, Coby White scored 22 points and Chicago handed San Antonio its 21st loss in 22 games.
White had 12 points in the fourth quarter to help the Bulls break it open.
DeMar DeRozan finished with 21 points after scoring 27 the previous night in a victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.
Devin Vassell led San Antonio with 21 points. Prized rookie Victor Wembanyama had a season-low seven points.
PELICANS 123, CAVALIERS
104: In Cleveland, Trey Murphy III scored 28 points while starting in place of New Orleans star Zion Williamson — out with an illness — and the Pelicans pulled away in the second half to beat undermanned Cleveland.
Williamson didn’t travel with the Pelicans, who have been battling a flu bug. Murphy made six 3-pointers as the Pelicans won for the fifth time in six games.
Dean Wade had 20 points for Cleveland. The Cavaliers played without their top three scorers — Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland and Evan Mobley.
TIMBERWOLVES 118, LAKERS 111: In Minneapolis, Anthony Edwards had 27 points to steady Minnesota and the Timberwolves handed the Lakers — with LeBron James sitting out on the second night of back-toback games — their fourth straight loss.
At 21-6, the West-leading Timberwolves tied Boston for the overall NBA lead.
Karl-Anthony Towns had 21 points for Minnesota. Mike Conley finished with 16 points, eight assists and two of the team’s 13 steals and Rudy Gobert had 15 points and 13 rebounds as the Wolves improved to 12-1 at home.
Anthony Davis had 31 points and eight rebounds for the Lakers.