MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — The Memphis Grizzlies broke the NBA record for margin of victory Thursday night, beating the Oklahoma City Thunder 152-79.
The 73-point spread easily topped the previous mark, which was Cleveland’s 68-point win over Miami. The Cavaliers beat the Heat 148-80 on Dec. 17, 1991.
Memphis used 12 players and nine of them reached double figures in scoring, with Jaren Jackson Jr.’s 27 points leading the way for the Grizzlies. Memphis were without their best player, injured guard Ja Morant.
It was 72-36 at halftime and the Grizzlies just kept adding to the lead, eventually pulling ahead by as many as 78 points.
The Grizzlies set a franchise record for shooting, making 62.5% of their shots. De’Anthony Melton scored 19 points, Santi Aldama had 18 and John Konchar added 17 for the Grizzlies — and none of those three players even started.
Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul shouts instructions to his teammates during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Detroit Pistons Thursday, Dec. 2, 2021, in Phoenix. The Suns won 114-103. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin).
SUNS 114, PISTONS 103
PHOENIX (AP) — Cam Johnson and Cameron Payne both scored 19 points to lead Phoenix Suns past Detroit Pistons for their franchise-record 18th consecutive victory.
Johnson and Payne sparked a stellar effort from the Suns bench, which finished with 48 points. Deandre Ayton had 17 points and 12 rebounds as Phoenix improved to 19-3 this season.
Phoenix won despite not having leading scorer Devin Booker for the first time this season. The two-time All-Star injured his left hamstring in the second quarter of Tuesday’s game against Golden State.
Jerami Grant had 34 points for the Pistons, who fell to 2-10 on the road.
RAPTORS 97, BUCKS 93
TORONTO (AP) — Fred VanVleet scored 29 points, Pascal Siakam had 20 and Toronto Raptors took advantage of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s absence to stop Milwaukee Bucks’ eight-game winning streak.
Antetokounmpo was out because of soreness in his right calf, a day after he scored 40 points as the Bucks beat Charlotte 127-125. The two-time NBA MVP sat out for the first time since Nov. 12, when he missed an overtime loss at Boston because of a sprained right ankle.
Scottie Barnes scored 13 points as the Raptors won for the first time in four games and snapped a five-game home losing streak, their longest since January 2011.
Jrue Holiday scored 26 points and Khris Middleton had 22 for the Bucks, who lost for the first time since a Nov. 14 defeat at Atlanta.
Chicago Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan (11) drives against New York Knicks guard Evan Fournier (13) in the second half of an NBA basketball game, Thursday, Dec. 2, 2021, at Madison Square Garden in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer).
BULLS 119, KNICKS 115
NEW YORK (AP) — DeMar DeRozan scored 34 points, Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic each added 27, and Chicago Bulls held off New York Knicks.
Those three were the only Bulls players to score in the fourth quarter, but it was just enough after the Knicks had erased a 21-point deficit to take the lead.
DeRozan scored 18 points in the fourth, including the Bulls’ final six. LaVine had given Chicago the lead by making two free throws with 53 seconds left after the game was tied at 111.
Julius Randle had 30 points, 12 rebounds and six assists, but missed two free throws and had a turnover that led to LaVine’s free throws. The Knicks (11-11) fell to .500 for the first time this season after starting 5-1.
New York were without starting forward RJ Barrett because of illness along with center Nerlens Noel because of a sore right knee. Then the Knicks lost another center when Taj Gibson was ejected in the first quarter.
SPURS 114, TRAIL BLAZERS 83
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Bryn Forbes had 18 points off the bench and San Antonio Spurs extended their winning streak to a season-high three games with a victory over shorthanded Portland Trail Blazers.
Doug McDermott added 16 points and Dejounte Murray had 15 points and 13 assists for the Spurs.
The loss snapped a 10-game home winning streak for the Blazers. Portland were led by CJ McCollum and Norman Powell with 16 points each. Powell had missed the last two games with a bruised right quadriceps.
The Blazers were without All-Star guard Damian Lillard, who is out with lower abdominal tendinopathy. Portland announced on Wednesday that Lillard will miss 10 days before being re-evaluated.
Anfernee Simons started in Lillard’s place but left in the first quarter after rolling his right ankle and did not return.