MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Home court advantage ain’t what it used to be.
The visiting Denver Nuggets handed the Memphis Grizzlies a 103-102 loss at the FedExForum in downtown Memphis Friday night. The Grizzlies, who are 17-17 on the season, now have a disappointing 8-12 record at home.
Nuggets all-star center Nicola Jokic had a huge game with 28 points, 15 rebounds, and 7 assists.
Grizzlies center Jonas Valančiūnas notched his 22nd double-double of the season, scoring 14 points and notching 11 rebounds. Ja Morant had an off shooting night, going 5-16 on his way to scoring 16 points. Dillon Brooks and Brandon Clarke each had 20 points.
Off the bench, Brandon Clarke sparked the Grizzlies to a 31-26 lead in the first quarter. Clarke scored 12 points on 4-5 shooting (including 2-3 from 3-point land) in only 6 minutes of playing time.
The Grizzlies took a 55-53 lead into the locker room, paced by Clarke’s 16 points. Jonas Valančiūnas dropped in 10 points and grabbed 7 rebounds in the first half. Nuggets’ center Nicola Jokic was nearly unstoppable in the first two quarters, scoring 17 points on 8-11 shooting and snagging 7 rebounds and dishing out 3 assists.
Denver entered the game with a 4-game winning streak. Former University of Memphis standout Will Barton scored 21 points for the Nuggets.
Memphis’ next game is on the road Sunday afternoon against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
