Kristaps Porzingis and Ja Morant make triumphant NBA returns
Sign up now: Get the biggest sports news in your inbox
Kristaps Porzingis of the Boston Celtics attempts a three-point basket against the LA Clippers during the first quarter at the TD Garden.
PHOTO: AFP
SAN FRANCISCO – Boston’s Kristaps Porzingis and Ja Morant of Memphis made triumphant and long-awaited National Basketball Association (NBA) returns from injuries on Nov 25, while Kyrie Irving scored 32 points to spark a Dallas victory at Atlanta.
Porzingis had 16 points on six-of-12 shooting, along with six rebounds, two blocks and two assists in 23 minutes for reigning champions Celtics in a 126-94 home rout of the Los Angeles Clippers at TD Garden.
“Good to go and looking forward to many, many great wins,” he said, as Boston improved to 15-3 and remained second in the Eastern Conference behind the Cleveland Cavaliers (17-1).
The Latvian centre had been sidelined for five months following left ankle surgery last June, after being injured in the NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks.
“It has been killing me inside not to be able to be out there,” added Porzingis. “But it was worth the wait to come back now and finally be with my guys.
“It has been maybe a couple weeks I’ve been nearing the finish line of starting to play and, as I was ramping up, I was getting more and more antsy to be out there finally.”
Asked about his ankle, he said: “It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.
“I did have a couple flat tyres on some lobs but I was still able to finish it. I’m happy with the game, happy with the win and with each game I’m only going to find my rhythm more and more.”
Jayson Tatum and reserve Payton Pritchard each scored 20 points to lead the Celtics, while Derrick White had 19 and Jaylen Brown added 17.
“No matter who is in or out on this team, we’re an unbelievably built team,” Porzingis said. “It’s like nothing, whoever is out, we can still win any game.”
Ivica Zubac led the Clippers with 23 points and 10 rebounds, while James Harden had 19 points, eight rebounds and nine assists.
At Memphis, Morant was back to his fast-breaking, slam-dunking top form to spark the Grizzlies over Portland 123-98.
He scored 20 of his 22 points in the first half and added 11 assists, while Jaren Jackson Jr had 21 points for Memphis, who improved to 11-7.
Morant has missed the past eight games for the Grizzlies after a hip injury in a fall against the Los Angeles Lakers on Nov 6.
“I felt pretty good, I was ready to come out and play and it was a big-time win,” he said. “We are playing at home in front of our families, we always want to feed off the (fans’) energy and we just got to keep it rolling.”
The victory was the second lopsided win against the Trail Blazers this season. Memphis defeated Portland 134-89 on Nov 10 in Portland without Morant.
In Atlanta, Irving scored 22 of his 32 points in the second half to lead the visiting Mavericks over the Hawks 129-119.
Jaden Hardy added 23 points, while Naji Marshall and Spencer Dinwiddie each added 22 for the Mavs. Jalen Johnson scored 28 to lead Atlanta, who have lost three in a row.
In other games, Detroit’s Jaden Ivey scored the last of his team-high 25 points on a floater at the final buzzer, to give hosts Pistons a 102-100 victory over Toronto.
Tyrese Haliburton had 34 points and passed off 13 assists to lead the hosts Indiana Pacers over New Orleans 114-110.
Germany’s Franz Wagner scored 21 points to spur the Orlando Magic to a 95-84 victory at Charlotte, despite LaMelo Ball’s game-high 44 points for the Hornets.
AFP, REUTERS
