TORONTO — In a commanding display, Jaren Jackson Jr. netted 32 points while Ja Morant contributed 26 points, 16 of which came in a pivotal third quarter, leading the Memphis Grizzlies to a decisive 138-107 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday evening.
In his first professional game in his hometown, Grizzlies rookie Zach Edey made an impact by achieving 13 points and grabbing 14 rebounds, marking his eighth double-double and third in just three outings.
The Grizzlies have now secured their third consecutive win against the Raptors and extended their perfect streak to five victories in Toronto. Earlier in the season, Memphis had set a franchise record by scoring 155 points in a home win against Toronto, including an impressive 78-point first half. While they didn’t reach that milestone this time, they did manage a season-best scoring performance of 85 points in the second half.
For the Raptors, Jamal Shead, Ochai Agbaji, and Ja’Kobe Walter each contributed 14 points to the scoreboard. Gradey Dick followed closely with 13 points, and Scottie Barnes added 11 to the mix.
Toronto faced a tough challenge, as they were without their leading scorer RJ Barrett, who remained sidelined due to concussion protocol for the second straight game. Additionally, center Jakob Poeltl was out due to a right hip injury, which had previously forced him to leave the game against the Knicks at halftime.
Noteworthy highlights from the match included Edey’s flawless shooting, finishing 5 for 5 from the field and sinking three of four from the free-throw line. Barnes, however, struggled early on, unable to score until the last two minutes of the first half, ultimately shooting 4 for 18 and failing to make any shots from beyond the arc, finishing at 0 for 7.
A turning point came when the Raptors led 61-53 early in the second half. Morant took charge, scoring 14 points, helping the Grizzlies launch a 30-11 run that put them ahead 83-72 with just over four minutes left in the third quarter. From that point on, Memphis maintained a lead well into the final moments of the game.
Highlighting a key statistic, Morant’s two successful three-pointers in the third quarter outmatched the Raptors’ entire team performance from long-range, as they struggled to connect on any of their nine attempts.
Looking ahead, both teams will face off against the Oklahoma City Thunder, who currently sit at the top of the Western Conference. Toronto is set to visit the Thunder on Friday, while Memphis will host them on Saturday.
