Jones, Jackson help Grizzlies beat Warriors, 131-110

MEMPHIS, Tenn. -- — Tyus Jones had 22 points and 11 assists, Jaren Jackson Jr. added 21 points and nine rebounds and the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Golden State Warriors 131-110 on Thursday night.

The Grizzlies played their third game without Ja Morant, the star guard who is away from the team after posting a video last weekend in which he appeared to be displaying a gun at a Denver-area strip club. The Grizzlies have announced Morant will miss at least the next three games.

Demond Bane also had 21 points for Memphis.

Memphis, which saw a double-digit lead almost disappear before the fourth quarter, outscored Golden State 32-17 in the final frame.

“In the fourth quarter, we stayed disciplined on both ends of the floor,” Jones said. “Stayed locked into the game plan. ... We continued to trust one another.”

Stephen Curry had 29 points and seven rebounds for Golden State. Jordan Poole had 22 points, Draymond Green added 16 points and seven assists and Klay Thompson had 14 points.

“I think we had multiple 20-point leads and they whittled it down to single digits,” Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins said. “I was proud of our guys just staying the course, playing connected basketball on both sides of the floor.”

The teams met in Memphis for the first time since their heated Western Conference postseason that Golden State won 4-2.

“They just played much better and we played much worse,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said, referring to his team winning the first two games in the season series.

Memphis jumped out to an early lead, extending it to as many as 20 points before settling into a 77-59 lead at the half, the 77 points, the most by the Grizzlies in a first half this season. On several occasions in both halves, the Warriors carved into the Memphis lead only to let the Grizzlies have a burst to extend their advantage.

“I thought we fought back a couple of times,” Green said. “When you fight back, you've got to keep it going. You can't allow the team to make another run. ... Every time, we got back (into the game), we allowed them to make a run.”

The loss, the third straight for the Warriors, was also Golden State’s eighth consecutive defeat on the road. They are 7-26 away from home this season.

“It's frustrating overall, not being able to win a game on the road or figure out the adjustments we need to make to do it,” Curry said, later adding: “We’re still trying to find our way on the road,”

TIP-INS

Warriors: C Kevon Looney played in his 200th consecutive game, including the playoffs. Looney was listed as probable on the injury report with back soreness. ... Curry has at least one 3-pointer in 230 consecutive regular-season games.

Grizzlies: Memphis announced earlier Thursday that C Steven Adams will be re-evaluated in four weeks after he received a stem cell injection for a knee injury he suffered Jan. 22 in a loss to Phoenix. ... Scored 48 points in the first quarter, the most scored in a quarter against a Kerr-coached team in the regular season.

MORANT CONCERNS

The Grizzlies said they tried to address problems with Morant before the incident last weekend near Denver.

“We have had conversation in the past trying to guide him and him continue to evolve as a person and a player,” Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins said. “Obviously, this came to a head the other day, so it put this process into action.”

UP NEXT

Warriors: Host Milwaukee on Saturday night.

Grizzlies: Host Dallas on Saturday night.

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