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A serious contender for NBA Dunk of the Year thanks to Ja Morant’s awkward one-handed finish.
The Memphis Grizzlies star disgusted his teammates, commentators and fans after pulling off a versatile dunk during the third quarter clash with the Indiana Pacers.
After receiving the ball from just outside the arc, Morant passed two Pacers and fired into the hoop from well outside the no-charge zone.
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Sunday, January 15th
Sunday, January 15th
Morant then gracefully leaped over Jalen Smith and slammed a right-handed dunk. The Grizzlies were sitting on the bench, laughing unbelievably.
“Holy shit… Morant hit an epic slam,” said Pacers broadcaster Chris Denali.
Analyst Quinn Buckner added: Look how long ago he started it. He puts it back at the free-throw line, comes back and puts it down.
“Jaylen Smith, you’ve been posterized.”
Morant has 23 points and 10 assists. He was one of six Memphis players to score double-digit points as the team beat the Pacers 130-112.
The win puts Memphis on par with Denver, with both teams leading the Western Conference 29-13.
Celtics avoid embarrassing loss
Jayson Tatum scored 33 points as the Boston Celtics overturned a double-digit deficit to extend their lead in the top of the NBA Eastern Conference Saturday with a 122-106 victory over the bottom-ranked Charlotte Hornets.
The Celtics came into a hugely favorable game to record their sixth straight win against the Hornets team, who are anchoring the conference table with just 11 wins.
However, Boston were blown away by Charlotte’s confident first half performance. Charlotte was halfway through the second quarter and at one stage he was 58-42 and he took a 16-point lead.
Boston closed the gap to just four points at halftime, with Charlotte leading 66-62. The Celtics then unleashed after halftime with a devastating scoring explosion.
The Celtics turned the game around by beating Charlotte 33-19 in the third quarter and maintained a comfortable cushion until the final quarter.
Malcolm Brogdon scored 30 points in Boston, Al Horford 16 and Marcus Smart 13.
LaMelo Ball led the Hornets challenge with 31 points.
GIANNIS-LESS BUCKS hot bullet
Gabe Vincent scored 27 points as the Miami Heat capitalized on the absence of Giannis Antetokounmpo to beat the Milwaukee Bucks 111-95.
Miami extended their winning streak to three games after dominating Milwaukee almost from the start and winning, as Erik Spoelstra’s team improved to 24-20 in the Eastern Conference standings.
Vincent was one of five players to finish in double digits in the Heat, with Victor Oladipo and Bam Adebayo taking center stage with 20 points each.
Adebayo had 13 rebounds on two assists and Jimmy Butler added 16 points in 26:35 on the court at Miami-Dade Arena.
Nigerian international Vincent re-signed with Miami in 2021 after being undrafted in 2018 and credited his “perseverance” with an impressive performance after scoring 28 points against Milwaukee on Thursday .
“Just keep doing it. It’s been a long road and a non-traditional route[to the NBA],” Vincent told ABC Television in his on-court remarks after the win, while praising his teammates.
“The men keep me open, and I end up knocking down some shots. It always helps.”
After losing the 2020 NBA Finals and making it to the Eastern Conference Finals last year, but losing to Boston in seven games, Miami is now in seventh place and close to the automatic playoffs.
Vincent, meanwhile, says improving defense will be key to Miami’s chances later in the season.
“We have to go back to being a defensive team, as we know we can,” Vincent said.
Milwaukee, meanwhile, struggled to build offensive pressure against Miami without Antetokounmpo and Kris Middleton.
Two-time MVP Antetokounmpo was sidelined early Saturday with a sore knee.
— with AFP
nba score today
Milwaukee Bucks 95 – miami heat 111
Boston Celtics 122 – Charlotte Hornets 106
Memphis Grizzlies 130 – Indiana Pacers 112
Atlanta Hawks 114 – Toronto Raptors 103
Cleveland Cavaliers 102 – Minnesota Timberwolves 110
Philadelphia 76ers – Utah Jazz
Dallas Mavericks – Portland Trail Blazers
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