CHICAGO (AP) — Ja Morant scored a career-high 46 points, and the Memphis Grizzlies hung on to beat DeMar DeRozan and the Chicago Bulls 116-110. The Grizzlies hung on after letting a 17-point lead shrink to one and came away with the win after losing two in a row. They also stopped Chicago’s six-game winning streak. Morant surpassed his previous high of 44 points. Steven Adams added 12 points and a season-high 21 rebounds, and the Grizzlies frustrated DeRozan even though the five-time All-Star scored 31. That gave DeRozan 10 straight 30-point games. But he was 10 of 29 from the field, ending his NBA-record run of eight games of scoring at least 35 while shooting 50% or better.
Elsewhere in the NBA:
— The Miami Heat have grabbed sole possession of first place in the NBA’s Eastern Conference. The Heat overcame an early 16-point deficit to beat the Spurs, 133-129. Bam Adebayo (ad-eh-BY’-oh) scored a season-high 36 points, Tyler Herro (HEE’-roh) added 27 off the bench and Jimmy Butler scored 27 points in 30 minutes Miami improved to 40-21, one game ahead of Chicago.
— The Nets won for just the third time in their last 16 games as Kyrie Irving hit for 38 points in their 126-123 victory at Milwaukee. Bruce Brown sank a 3-pointer to put the Nets ahead for good 118-116 with 1:38 left.
— The Nuggets pulled out a 115-110 win over the Kings as Monte Morris hit a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 28 seconds left. Nikola Jokic (nih-KOH’-lah YOH’-kihch) had 18 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds for his 16th triple-double of the season and 73rd of his career.
— Lauri Markkanen scored 23 points and All-Star center Jarrett Allen had 18 points and 14 rebounds in rallying the Cavaliers to a 92-86 victory over the Wizards. Cleveland scored 12 straight points after Washington matched the largest lead of the game at 84-75 on Daniel Gafford’s follow shot with 6:39 remaining.
— Jaylen Brown poured in 27 points and Jayson Tatum added 26 with 11 rebounds as the Celtics won for the 11th time in 12 games, 113-104 at Detroit. Boston was able to take advantage of Cade Cunningham’s foul trouble in this one. Cunningham led Detroit with 25 points in 27 minutes.
— Trae Young delivered 41 points and 11 assists as the Hawks ripped the Raptors, 127-100. Onyeka Okongwu matched his season high with 17 points for Atlanta, which pulled away by outscoring Toronto 38-16 in the decisive third period.
