Jaren Jackson Jr. and rookie Zach Edey each recorded a double-double with 21 or more points, and the Memphis Grizzlies set a franchise record for points in a game with a 155-126 win over the Toronto Raptors on Thursday.
Memphis, the top-scoring team in the NBA, earned their seventh win in the last nine games while handing Toronto their ninth consecutive loss.
Edey grabbed 16 rebounds, and Jackson pulled down 11 boards. Eight Grizzlies scored in double figures, including all five starters. Desmond Bane had 19 points, Jaylen Wells added 17, and Ja Morant contributed 15 points and nine assists. Bench players Scotty Pippen Jr. and Luke Kennard also scored 15 points each, and Brandon Clarke chipped in 11.
Toronto, which dropped to 1-14 on the road, was led by RJ Barrett with 27 points, 10 assists, and nine rebounds. Scottie Barnes added 26 points and eight assists. The Raptors were outrebounded 63-40.
The Grizzlies, leading by eight at halftime, quickly built a double-digit advantage, which grew to 22 late in the third quarter. Memphis led 121-100 going into the final period.
Toronto head coach Darko Rajakovic, a former Memphis assistant, was ejected with 10:29 left in the game after an altercation with officials. He had to be restrained by several Raptors assistants.
After Rajakovic’s ejection, the Grizzlies extended their lead to as much as 32 points.
Memphis jumped out to a 19-point lead in the first quarter but struggled to maintain it. Toronto fought back, tying the game twice late in the second quarter, before trailing 78-70 at halftime.
While the Grizzlies scored 43 points in the first quarter, they seemed impacted by the injury to Santi Aldama, who hurt his left ankle on a non-contact play with 3:43 remaining in the first. Aldama hobbled to the locker room and did not return.
With Aldama out, the Raptors outscored the Grizzlies 50-43 for the rest of the half. Toronto shot 53.8 percent in the first half, including 60.9 percent in the first quarter. Memphis shot 53.7 percent before halftime.
In the end, the Grizzlies outshot the Raptors 53.2 percent to 45.4 percent.
