Valanciunas keeps Grizzlies hot with win over Nuggets

Jonas Valanciunas had 23 points and 12 rebounds, Dillon Brooks scored 24 points and the host Memphis Grizzlies beat the Denver Nuggets 104-96 on Tuesday night. Ja Morant scored 14 points, Brandon Clarke had 12 and Jaren Jackson Jr. finished with 10 points and a career-high-tying seven blocked shots for the Grizzlies, who never trailed and have won 10 of 13 in January. Memphis ended a four-game skid against the Nuggets.

Nikola Jokic had 25 points and 13 rebounds, Jerami Grant scored 21 and Gary Harris had 10 points for short-handed Denver. The Grizzlies opened up a 13-point lead in the first quarter after a slow start for both teams. Memphis closed the first on a 15-5 run to go-ahead 31-18.

The Nuggets got within 39-34 with 8:01 left in the second quarter, but the Grizzlies pushed the lead back to 13 at halftime. Memphis quickly stretched the lead to a game-high of 19 early in the third quarter on a bucket by Brooks. Denver was able to get within 13 on a couple of occasions but not any closer in the period and trailed 82-66 entering the fourth.

Jackson hit a 3-pointer to open the final period, and it was 91-72 after Morant's layup with 9:18 left before Denver made a little run to get back into it. Grant split a pair of free throws, Torrey Craig hit a layup and Jokic drained a straightaway 3-pointer to spark Denver. Craig blocked Morant's layup attempt, and Monte Morris scored on the other end to pull the Nuggets within 91-80, the closest they had been since the first half.

Valanciunas ended the run with a floater in the lane and then split a pair of free throws. Morant scored on a layup, and Valanciunas hit a fadeaway to make it 98-80 with 4:50 remaining. Denver made one last push, getting within 11 on Grant's 3-pointer with 2:17 left, and then within seven with 50.1 left on Malik Beasley's free throws, but the Nuggets ran out of time.

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