UNDATED (AP) — Ja Morant scored six of his 26 points in the final 30 seconds, including the go-ahead hoop, allowing the Memphis Grizzlies to extend their winning streak to six with a 110-106 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Morant gave Memphis a 106-104 lead with a double-pump short jumper, then stripped the ball from Brandon Goodwin and scored on Cleveland’s subsequent possession with 22 seconds remaining. Darius Garland collected 27 points and 10 assists in his return to Cleveland’s lineup after missing four games in the NBA’s health and safety protocols.
In other NBA action:
— The Los Angeles Lakers held off the Sacramento Kings 122-114 for their fourth win in five games. LeBron James scored 14 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter and Malik Monk added 11 of his 24 in the final seven minutes. Talen Horton-Tucker scored 19 points for the Lakers, who rallied from a late seven-point deficit with one big basket after another from Monk and James. De’Aaron Fox scored 30 points and Buddy Hield added 26 for the Kings, who scored 11 consecutive points early in the fourth quarter before wilting down the stretch of their second loss in five games.
— Devin Booker scored 33 points, Chris Paul added 11 points and 15 assists, and the Phoenix Suns beat the New Orleans Pelicans 123-110. Mikal Bridges added 23 points for Phoenix, which picked up its seventh win over the Pelicans in the last nine games. He and Cameron Johnson both made five 3-pointers, while veteran center Bismack Biyombo shot 6 for 6 and scored 16. Graham scored 28 points for New Orleans, which has lost four of five. Jonas Valanciunas finished with 25 points and 16 rebounds.
— Fred VanVleet scored 33 points, Pascal Siakam had 18 points and 12 rebounds, and the Toronto Raptors extended their winning streak to three by beating the San Antonio Spurs 129-104. Gary Trent Jr. scored 21 points as the Raptors evened their record at 17-17, reaching the .500 mark for the first time since they were 7-7 after a Nov. 13 home loss to Detroit. The Raptors have won eight of their past 10 at home.
— RJ Barrett scored 24 of his 32 points in the first half, Julius Randle had 30 points and 16 rebounds in his first game after coming off the COVID-19 health and safety protocols list, and the New York Knicks beat the Indiana Pacers 104-94. Alec Burks added 14 points for New York, which snapped a two-game losing streak.
Utah’s Ingles enters protocols, Jazz last team to join list
UNDATED (AP) — Joe Ingles entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols on Tuesday, the first Utah Jazz player to be added to that list this season. The Jazz had been the only NBA team yet to have a player in protocols this season. All 29 others had a player sidelined by COVID-19 at some point in the last three weeks during this outbreak, many of them placing more than 10 players in the protocols.
