Brooks dominates in return to Toronto to lead Grizzlies past Raptors | CBC Sports

All-star point guard Ja Morant had a double-double to lead the Memphis Grizzlies past the visiting Toronto Raptors 119-106 on Thursday.

Morant finished with 19 points, 17 assists and four rebounds.

Dillon Brooks from nearby Mississauga, Ont., added 25 points, six assists and four rebounds for Memphis (21-13). Steven Adams scored 14 points and pulled down 17 rebounds.

Scottie Barnes had a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds as Gary Trent Jr. scored 20 off the bench.

Star point guard Fred VanVleet missed the game with ongoing back issues. Raptors head coach Nick Nurse said forward Precious Achiuwa could return on Friday.

Montreal’s Khem Birch had an emphatic dunk in the dying seconds of the first quarter for the Raptors and then fellow Montrealer Chris Boucher combined with O.G. Anunoby to block a layup by Memphis guard Tyus Jones to end the period. Despite those back-to-back highlight-reel plays, Toronto trailed the visitors 30-20 after 12 minutes.

Brooks led all scorers at the break with 15 points. The Canadian also had four assists and two rebounds through two quarters.

Barnes walked off the court, through the crowd, and straight to Toronto’s locker room at the 8:30 mark of the third as play continued without him. Barnes was rubbing his face in obvious pain as he walked between rows of fans to the tunnel.

He returned to the court less than three minutes later, however, seemingly no worse for wear.

Morant shone in the third, scoring 13 points in the quarter alone to extend Memphis’s lead to 93-75. Siakam had 10 points in the period as the Raptors continued to fall behind the Grizzlies.

Toronto showed some life in the fourth quarter, going on a run to come within nine of Memphis. That forced the Grizzlies to put their starting five back out on the floor to reassert their lead.

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