GG Jackson II scored a career-high 44 points, but the Memphis Grizzlies (27-55) fell to the Denver Nuggets (57-25) 126-111 in both teams’ final regular season game. The Nuggets, who swept the season series with Grizzlies (4-0), clinched the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference Playoffs.
Jackson II shot 17-of-36 from the field to record the second-highest scoring total by a teenager in NBA history and added career-high tying 12 rebounds for his second career double-double. Jake LaRavia added29 points, five rebounds and four assists. Scotty Pippen Jr. finished with 15 points and seven assists.
Jamal Murray led the Nuggets with 21 points and six rebounds. Christian Braun posted a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds off the bench. Nikola Jokic registered his 68th double-double with 15 points and 15 rebounds. Aaron Gordon scored 15 points, five rebounds and five assists.
Denver went on a 13-4 run to end the second quarter, including nine unanswered points. The Nuggets led 66-54 at halftime. The Nuggets held the Grizzlies to two points through the first five minutes of the third quarter and led by as many as 26 points in the second half.
The Nuggets shot 51 percent from the field and registered 32 assists. Denver’s bench outscored the Grizzlies’ reserves 52-9.
The Grizzlies set NBA records this season with 33 different players appearing in a game and 51 unqiue starting lineups.