NBA Top Five Performances, Jan. 11: Ja Morant Explodes for 38 Against the San Antonio Spurs
TOP PLAYER OF THE DAY:
The Memphis Grizzlies held on against the San Antonio Spurs thanks to another impressive outing by star point guard Ja Morant. Morant had 38 points, five rebounds and four assists Wednesday night, as well as another highlight dunk on Spurs center Jakob Poeltl.
OTHERS:
-Jaylen Brown added more fuel to his All-Star campaign with 12 rebounds and a season-high 41 points against the New Orleans Pelicans. The Boston Celtics took a comfortable victory with the star tandem of Brown and Jayson Tatum. Both have played like superstars this season, while Malcolm Brogdon has been a key contributor off the bench.
-Detroit Pistons forward Saddiq Bey led his team with a season-high 31 points in a blowout win against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Bey isn’t normally in the starting lineup for Detroit but an undermanned roster allowed him to showcase his ability to score. The Pistons win just their 12th game of the season behind Bey’s efforts.
-Jalen Brunson’s 34-point night helped the New York Knicks escape with a victory against the Indiana Pacers. This performance comes just days after recording a career-high 44 points in a loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. Brunson is on a tear to start the month, averaging 33.2 points since the beginning of the new year.
-Jrue Holiday’s 27 points against the Atlanta Hawks got the victory for Milwaukee on Wednesday. Giannis Antetokounmpo had a dreadful night with just seven points on three field goals. Even with the 18 rebounds and 10 assists, it was an unusual showing for an MVP-caliber player like Antetokounmpo. Holiday stepped in during his slump, as he and guard Jevon Carter combined for 18 points in the fourth quarter.
Jayden Armant is a contributor to Inside the Heat. He is a student at Howard University. He can be reached at jayden.armant@bison.howard.edu or follow him on Twitter @jaydenarmant.
