Sports

Boozer’s Triple‑Double Helps Grizzlies Keep Undefeated Streak Alive

By Reuters

Rookie Cameron Boozer recorded 18 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists for his first career triple‑double as the Memphis Grizzlies won 124‑103 on the road against the Portland Trail Blazers. Reserve Isaiah Stewart also scored 18. The win made Memphis 5‑0. Cedric Coward had 17 points, seven rebounds and three steals, while Zach Edey added 13 points. Backup GG Jackson scored 12, and Ty Jerome, Jaylen Wells and reserve Quinten Post each added 10. Memphis outscored Portland 66‑45 in the second half. Deni Avdija paced the Blazers with 24 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Portland’s Ja Morant left in the fourth quarter with a left hamstring injury after scoring 14 points and three assists. Damian Lillard finished with nine points on 3‑of‑13 shooting. A 3‑pointer by Jerome gave Memphis a 101‑89 lead with 8:43 left, sparking a 13‑0 run that ended with Coward’s 3‑pointer to make it 111‑89 with 5:31 remaining. Wells added a layup to make it 117‑93 with 3:52 left. The game was tied at halftime; Memphis then went on a 12‑2 burst in the third quarter, with Wells finishing the run with a 3‑pointer to give the Grizzlies a 72‑66 lead with 6:13 to play. Portland moved within two before Memphis rattled off 10 straight points. Coward capped the run with a hoop to make it 87‑75 with 2:09 remaining. Lillard drove for a layup with 0.6 seconds left in the third to bring the score to 91‑83 entering the final quarter. The Pelicans earned their first victory over the still‑winless Kings, defeating Sacramento 132‑120. Jeremiah Fears flirted with a triple‑double, finishing with 22 points, 13 assists and a season‑best 13 assists. Zion Williamson also scored 22. Sacramento rookie Darius Acuff Jr. had a season‑best 34 points. New Orleans took a 36‑32 lead early in the second quarter and later ran a 21‑4 run to take control. The Kings were within seven points after an Acuff drive in the third, but New Orleans ran off the next ten points. Fears finished with his fourth career double‑double and a career‑best 13 assists. Trey Murphy III added 19, Herbert Jones 16, Karlo Matkovic 12, Saddiq Bey and Ben Mathurin 10 each. Williamson had five steals. The Hawks snapped a three‑game losing streak with a 114‑111 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Onyeka Okongwu scored a season‑high 29 points and had 12 rebounds, while Nickeil Alexander‑Walker made two crucial free throws with 15.3 seconds remaining. The Hawks led by 10 with 4:34 left, but Cleveland pulled within one point twice, the second time on Donovan Mitchell’s basket with 21 seconds left. Okongwu went 11‑for‑17 from the field, including four 3‑pointers. Alexander‑Walker shot 8‑for‑17 and hit four 3‑pointers. Aaron Wiggins added a season‑high 20 points and seven rebounds off the bench, and Jalen Johnson scored 17. Cleveland’s James Harden had a season‑high 24 points and Mitchell 22. Sam Merrill hit four 3‑pointers and scored 16. Cleveland limited the Hawks to 23.8 percent shooting in the first quarter and took a 28‑16 lead after an early 10‑3 run. The Cavs led 35‑24 with 7:22 left in the first half, but Atlanta went on a 13‑2 run to tie at 4:33 on a runner by Okongwu. The Hawks led 46‑44 at halftime. Atlanta pushed its lead to 61‑50 on Alexander‑Walker's 3‑pointer with 9:14 left in the third quarter. Cleveland cut the margin to 83‑82, fueled by nine third‑quarter points from Harden. Atlanta scored 43 points in the third quarter and entered the fourth with an 89‑82 lead.