By Antigoni Zachari / info@eurohoops.net
Memphis Grizzlies All-Star Ja Morant returned to action after missing nine games to help his team blow out the New Orleans Pelicans 141-114 at home.
Morant scored 21 points along with nine assists upon his return from soreness in his right knee, getting Memphis back on the winning track after a two-game skid. Dillon Brooks led all Grizzlies scorers with 23 points, Brandon Clarke added 20 while coming from the bench and Desmond Bane had 18. Memphis faces the Boston Celtics at home for the finale of the regular season.
CJ McCollum tapped 16 points to lead the Pelicans and Willy Hernangomez added a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds. The Pelicans face the Golden State Warriors at home before heading to the play-in tournament next week.
The Golden State Warriors outlasted the San Antonio Spurs 100-94 on the road to make a push for the third seed in the Western Conference in the last laps of the regular season. Jordan Poole and Jonathan Kuminga scored 18 points apiece to lead the Warriors to their fourth straight win, despite missing stars Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. Andrew Wiggins followed with 15 points and Nemanja Bjelica added 12 points in 16 minutes. Lonnie Walker posted a game-high 24 points for the Spurs, Tre Jones picked up 15 points and Joshua Primo had 14. Spurs have dropped their second game in a row and will look to bounce back at the RS finale against the Dallas Mavericks on the road.
Paul George posted a double-double with 23 points and tied his career-best 12 assists, to go along with 8 rebounds and the LA Clippers beat the Sacramento Kings 117-98 for their fourth consecutive win. Norman Powell added 20 points and Ivica Zubac also scored in double-double figures with 15 points and 12 rebounds as the Clippers will look to close the regular season with a streak when they face the Oklahoma City Thunder at home Monday. On the opposing end, Davion Mitchell scored 22 points and dished 7 assists to lead the Kings, which will end their season against NBA-leading Phoenix Suns also Monday.
NBA April 9 results:
Philadelphia 76ers – Indiana Pacers 133-120
Memphis Grizzlies – New Orleans Pelicans 141-114
San Antonio Spurs – Golden State Warriors 94-100
LA Clippers – Sacramento Kings 117-98
NBA standings (via nba.com):
Eastern Conference
| TEAM | W | L | WIN% | GB | CONF | DIV | HOME | ROAD | OT | LAST 10 | STREAK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 Miami Heat – e |
53 | 28 | .654 | — | 35-16 | 13-2 | 29-12 | 24-16 | 1-3 | 6-4 | W 6 |
|
2 Milwaukee Bucks – c |
51 | 30 | .630 | 2 | 33-18 | 12-3 | 27-14 | 24-16 | 1-2 | 7-3 | W 3 |
|
3 Boston Celtics – x |
50 | 31 | .617 | 3 | 33-19 | 9-7 | 28-13 | 22-18 | 4-3 | 7-3 | L 1 |
|
4 Philadelphia 76ers – x |
50 | 31 | .617 | 3 | 31-20 | 6-10 | 23-17 | 27-14 | 3-1 | 6-4 | W 1 |
|
5 Toronto Raptors – x |
48 | 33 | .593 | 5 | 30-21 | 10-5 | 24-17 | 24-16 | 3-2 | 8-2 | W 3 |
|
6 Chicago Bulls – x |
45 | 36 | .556 | 8 | 29-23 | 10-6 | 27-14 | 18-22 | 1-1 | 3-7 | L 4 |
|
7 Brooklyn Nets – pi |
43 | 38 | .531 | 10 | 30-21 | 10-6 | 19-21 | 24-17 | 2-1 | 6-4 | W 3 |
|
8 Cleveland Cavaliers – pi |
43 | 38 | .531 | 10 | 26-25 | 9-6 | 24-16 | 19-22 | 2-0 | 2-8 | L 3 |
|
9 Atlanta Hawks – pi |
42 | 39 | .519 | 11 | 26-26 | 9-7 | 27-14 | 15-25 | 0-1 | 7-3 | L 1 |
|
10 Charlotte Hornets – pi |
42 | 39 | .519 | 11 | 26-25 | 7-8 | 21-19 | 21-20 | 0-7 | 6-4 | W 2 |
|
11 New York Knicks – o |
36 | 45 | .444 | 17 | 21-30 | 4-11 | 16-24 | 20-21 | 1-2 | 6-4 | W 1 |
|
12 Washington Wizards – o |
35 | 46 | .432 | 18 | 24-27 | 7-8 | 21-20 | 14-26 | 3-1 | 5-5 | L 2 |
|
13 Indiana Pacers – o |
25 | 56 | .309 | 28 | 11-40 | 2-14 | 16-25 | 9-31 | 4-4 | 1-9 | L 9 |
|
14 Detroit Pistons – o |
23 | 58 | .284 | 30 | 18-33 | 6-10 | 13-28 | 10-30 | 3-1 | 4-6 | L 2 |
|
15 Orlando Magic – o |
21 | 60 | .259 | 32 | 11-40 | 2-13 | 11-29 | 10-31 | 0-4 | 3-7 | L 1 |
Western Conference
| TEAM | W | L | WIN% | GB | CONF | DIV | HOME | ROAD | OT | LAST 10 | STREAK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 Phoenix Suns – w |
64 | 17 | .790 | — | 39-12 | 10-5 | 32-8 | 32-9 | 2-0 | 7-3 | W 1 |
|
2 Memphis Grizzlies – sw |
56 | 25 | .691 | 8 | 36-16 | 11-5 | 30-10 | 26-15 | 2-2 | 8-2 | W 1 |
|
3 Golden State Warriors – x |
52 | 29 | .642 | 12 | 32-19 | 12-4 | 31-10 | 21-19 | 0-2 | 5-5 | W 4 |
|
4 Dallas Mavericks – x |
51 | 30 | .630 | 13 | 35-16 | 13-2 | 28-12 | 23-18 | 1-2 | 8-2 | W 3 |
|
5 Utah Jazz – x |
48 | 33 | .593 | 16 | 32-19 | 14-1 | 29-12 | 19-21 | 2-0 | 3-7 | L 1 |
|
6 Denver Nuggets – x |
48 | 33 | .593 | 16 | 29-22 | 6-10 | 23-17 | 25-16 | 3-1 | 6-4 | W 1 |
|
7 Minnesota Timberwolves – pi |
46 | 35 | .568 | 18 | 32-20 | 12-4 | 26-14 | 20-21 | 2-1 | 5-5 | W 1 |
|
8 LA Clippers – pi |
41 | 40 | .506 | 23 | 25-26 | 9-7 | 24-16 | 17-24 | 0-4 | 5-5 | W 4 |
|
9 New Orleans Pelicans – pi |
36 | 45 | .444 | 28 | 25-26 | 6-10 | 19-21 | 17-24 | 1-2 | 6-4 | L 1 |
|
10 San Antonio Spurs – pi |
34 | 47 | .420 | 30 | 24-27 | 6-9 | 16-25 | 18-22 | 1-3 | 7-3 | L 2 |
|
11 Los Angeles Lakers – o |
32 | 49 | .395 | 32 | 17-34 | 3-13 | 21-20 | 11-29 | 7-2 | 2-8 | W 1 |
|
12 Sacramento Kings – o |
29 | 52 | .358 | 35 | 19-32 | 5-10 | 16-25 | 13-27 | 2-1 | 4-6 | L 3 |
|
13 Portland Trail Blazers – o |
27 | 54 | .333 | 37 | 11-40 | 1-14 | 17-23 | 10-31 | 0-2 | 0-10 | L 10 |
|
14 Oklahoma City Thunder – o |
24 | 57 | .296 | 40 | 17-34 | 6-10 | 12-29 | 12-28 | 4-1 | 4-6 | L 2 |
|
15 Houston Rockets – o |
20 | 61 | .247 | 44 | 11-41 | 3-13 | 11-29 | 9-32 | 2-1 | 3-7 | L 6 |
* x – Clinched Playoff Berth
* o – Eliminated from Playoffs contention
* e – Clinched Eastern Conference
* w – Clinched Western Conference
* nw – Clinched Northwest Division
* p – Clinched Pacific Division
* sw – Clinched Southwest Division
* a – Clinched Atlantic Division
* c – Clinched Central Division
* se – Clinched Southeast Division
*pi – Clinched Play-In
Photo credit: Getty Images