Morant's return sparks explosive offense as Jackson anchors the paint. Grizzlies unleash transition power, dominating Bucks for eighth straight win.
The Memphis Grizzlies turned a competitive first half into a runaway finish Friday night, riding defensive intensity, transition offense, and interior dominance to a 125-104 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.
Behind a balanced effort and a decisive second-quarter surge, Memphis Grizzlies extended their dominance over Milwaukee Bucks, beating Milwaukee for the eighth straight time — all by double digits — while continuing to show growth with a reshaped rotation.
Jaren Jackson Jr. led Memphis with 24 points, nine rebounds and five blocks, anchoring the Grizzlies defensively and controlling the paint offensively. Ja Morant, playing his first game after missing four contests with a left ankle sprain, finished with 17 points and 10 assists as Memphis consistently pressured mismatches and played downhill.
After the game, Morant explained how the Grizzlies look to exploit advantages when defenses switch or load up inside, especially when guards draw bigger defenders near the basket.
“I wouldn’t say it was just strictly with Jaren,” Morant said. “If we have any mismatch — a big and a guard situation down there — we should look to attack it. In normal defenses, they have to use more resources to help put that fire out, so we’ll have an advantage at some point.”
Morant also made clear his confidence in Jackson operating near the rim, regardless of coverage or shot difficulty.
“As for Jaren, I just don’t feel like anybody can really stop him in that area,” Morant said. “Any chance we get and he gets the ball there, I don’t care what kind of shot it is — I like it.”
Memphis took control in the second quarter after an uneven opening stretch. Both teams held double-digit leads in the first half, but the Grizzlies seized momentum behind Jackson’s scoring and Morant’s tempo. Jackson scored 17 of his points before halftime, while Morant added 10 in the second quarter as Memphis outscored Milwaukee 35-15 in the period to take a 60-50 lead into the break.
Morant attributed the early sluggishness to time off and holiday routines, saying the game flipped once Memphis settled in and started running.
“We got out to a rough start,” Morant said. “We had two days off on top of Christmas food, so we came out a little slow. Once we settled into the game, went on that run in the second quarter, and everybody locked in — running and spacing the floor — we started getting easier baskets and good looks.”
Milwaukee made a brief push in the third quarter after Memphis stretched the lead to 15, cutting the deficit to 92-83 late in the period. Early in the fourth, the Bucks trimmed it further to 92-85, but the response was immediate. Memphis scored the next seven points to restore a 14-point cushion and never looked back.
Interim coach Tuomas Iisalo pointed to defensive effort and energy plays as the turning point after a rusty first quarter.
“After two days off, you could see the rust in how we were playing in the first quarter,” Iisalo said. “Defense was lacking early, but after that we picked it up. I’m not sure we’ve had a quarter where we held a team to 15 points.”
Iisalo highlighted Jackson’s disruption and the Grizzlies’ ability to convert stops into transition offense.
“Jaren was unbelievable with his disruption, as he has been the past few weeks,” Iisalo said. “Christian and Santi were great in the ball screens, and our guards did a great job converting missed shots or steals into transition offense. That’s when we really started clicking.”
Effort plays from the backcourt — including multiple dives for loose balls — stood out to Iisalo as momentum changers.
“That’s everything,” Iisalo said. “It’s contagious. Those are huge plays, and they change momentum. It was great to see the guys respond after a couple of off days and really enjoy competing together — not just playing together, but competing.”
Cam Spencer added 19 points for Memphis, providing shot-making and energy as the Grizzlies pulled away. GG Jackson also made an impact defensively, continuing a trend that has earned him extended minutes.
Jackson said he has focused on defense and rebounding as a way to stay on the floor, drawing inspiration from elite shot blockers.
“I’ve been watching a lot of Thompson — his timing, whether it’s getting an early block or meeting guys at the rim,” Jackson said. “I was a shot blocker in high school, so at 6-9, I’m just trying to find ways to get my hand on the ball and do different things to stay on the court.”
Jackson added that once defensive effort is rewarded, confidence follows.
“Once you do it a couple times and you hear the crowd, it gets easier to keep doing it,” he said. “The adrenaline kicks in. I don’t want to mess up — I want to stay on the court.”
For Milwaukee, AJ Green matched his season high with 20 points, Kevin Porter Jr. finished with 16 points, eight rebounds and five assists, and Bobby Portis Jr., Kyle Kuzma and Ryan Rollins scored 15 apiece. The Bucks continue to play without Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has missed eight straight games with a right calf strain.
Memphis, meanwhile, looked increasingly connected with Morant back in the lineup and Jackson anchoring the defense. The Grizzlies head to Washington on Sunday.