MILWAUKEE — Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 35 points to lead the Memphis Grizzlies to an 111-101 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night.
The Bucks lost for the fourth time in their past five games as they've faltered while trying to hold on to the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Jackson dominated in the second half, scoring 25 of his points while lifting the Grizzlies to their fifth straight victory over Milwaukee.
Brook Lopez paced the Bucks with 25 points and 10 rebounds while Giannis Antetokounmpo added 21 points, seven rebounds and eight assists. Bobby Portis had 19 points and Malik Beasley 10.
Both teams were short-handed with the Grizzlies missing Ja Morant, Desmond Bane and Marcus Smart because of injuries and the Bucks playing without Damian Lillard, Khris Middleton and Patrick Beverley.
GG Jackson had 15 points and Brandon Clarke, recently returned from an Achilles tendon injury that cost him 72 games, scored 14 points for Memphis.
The Grizzlies went on a quick 9-0 run to grab a 98-90 lead with 4:17 left, sparked by seven points from Jackson Jr. The Bucks did not get closer than four points deficit the rest of the way.
Antetokounmpo drew his fourth foul with 4:15 left in the third quarter and had to go to the bench, and the Grizzlies took advantage. Jackson Jr. scored nine points in the remainder of the quarter as Memphis outscored Milwaukee 15-8 to erase a six-point deficit and take a 79-78 lead into the final period.
The Grizzlies took a 53-49 halftime lead as GG Jackson and Jackson Jr. each scored 10 points and Clarke added eight. Clarke scored on a layup at the halftime buzzer to put the Grizzlies ahead by four.
Lillard missed his third consecutive game and second with a right groin injury, and Beverley sat out with a sprained right ankle suffered in the Bucks’ loss at Washington on Tuesday night.
The Bucks also were without Middleton, who scored 24 points against the Wizards on Tuesday but has not normally played in back-to-back games this season.
Bucks coach Doc Rivers said Lillard had a good workout Tuesday and could return Friday against Toronto.
“I think he’s closer,” Rivers said. “But that’s one, if he’s not 100% or 90th percentile or whatever, then no. That one, we’re just not going to take a chance. It’s not worth it.”
Since Rivers was hired as coach on Jan. 26 to replace Adrian Griffin, the trio of Antetokounmpo, Middleton and Lillard has played together only six times out of 40 games.
