Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 24 points, grabbed nine rebounds and blocked five shots as the Memphis Grizzlies (15-16) defeated the Milwaukee Bucks (12-19) 125-104 Friday night at FedExForum.
Ja Morant returned from a four-game absence to contribute 17 points and 10 assists, helping Memphis extend its streak to eight straight double-digit wins over Milwaukee.
Cam Spencer added 19 points off the bench as the Grizzlies relied on balanced scoring and interior defense to control the game.
Milwaukee kept it close early, with AJ Green matching his season high of 20 points on 6-of-11 three-point shooting and Kevin Porter Jr. posting 16 points, eight rebounds and five assists.
Memphis built a 60-50 halftime lead, powered by Jackson’s 17 first-half points and Morant’s second-quarter contributions, including 10 points as the Grizzlies outscored Milwaukee 35-15 in the period.
The Bucks chipped into the Memphis lead in the early fourth quarter, trimming it to 92-85, but the Grizzlies responded with a 7-0 run to push the margin back to 14 points.
Memphis maintained shooting above 50% while stretching the lead to 15 midway through the third quarter, forcing Milwaukee to play catch-up despite solid individual performances.
Bobby Portis Jr., Kyle Kuzma, and Ryan Rollins each scored 15 points for Milwaukee, but the absence of Giannis Antetokounmpo, out for eight games with a right calf strain, left the Bucks without their top scorer.
The Grizzlies shot 43-of-85 from the field, including 13-of-34 from three-point range, while Milwaukee made 14-of-39 from beyond the arc and converted 18-of-24 free throws.
Memphis outrebounded the Bucks 51-48 and shared the ball effectively with 12 assists from Jackson Jr. and Morant, keeping the offense fluid throughout the game.
The win gives Memphis momentum heading into Sunday’s road game at Washington, while Milwaukee will travel to Chicago to face the Bulls on Saturday.
