The second half of the NBA season tipped off Wednesday night with a pair of results that showcased players who could have a major impact on the playoff picture with a big performance down the stretch.
Ja Morant had 21 points and 10 assists in the Memphis Grizzlies' 127-112 win over the Washington Wizards. He wasn't the Grizzlies' leading scorer (Jonas Valanciunas had 29 points), but Morant was an efficient 7-of-14 shooting and got to the free throw line 12 times, while acting as playmaker and facilitator.
The Grizzlies are currently ninth in the Western Conference. With a big second half, Morant could push Memphis above the play-in tournament and into a top-six spot.
NBA ESSENTIALS:SCORES | SCHEDULE | STANDINGS
Ja Morant & Desmond Bane each score 20+ for the @memgrizz! @JaMorant: 21 PTS, 6 REB, 10 AST@DBane0625: 20 PTS, 5 3PM pic.twitter.com/nitBDnvorW
The Dallas Mavericks, currently eighth in the West, are in a similar position with Kristaps Porzingis, though with a potentially higher ceiling.
Porzingis had 28 points Wednesday, including 13 in the fourth quarter, to help the Mavs pull away and defeat the San Antonio Spurs 115-104.
Luka Doncic had a triple-double and will continue to put up stellar numbers and drive the offense. If Porzingis can step up and consistently give the Mavericks nights like Wednesday, he can be the second star they need to climb out of a play-in spot and into the top half of the West.
Source: Read Full Article