MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Rookie Cedric Coward scored 22 of his 27 points in the second half, and the Memphis Grizzlies pulled away for a 128-103 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Saturday night.
Ja Morant finished with 19 points and Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 17. Coward, the No. 11 pick in the draft out of Washington State, made all six 3-point attempts and finished 9 for 13 overall. He has reached double figures in all three games.
Bennedict Mathurin led Indiana with 26 points, going 8 for 12 from the field before leaving with a sore right foot. Aaron Nesmith added 15 points, while Obi Toppin and Pascal Siakam scored 13 apiece as the Pacers fell to 0-2.
The Grizzlies were coming off an embarrassing 146-114 loss to the Miami Heat on Friday night where they trailed by 45 points. The Pacers lost a double-overtime opener to Oklahoma City in a matchup of last season’s NBA Finals teams.
After a 17-2 run in the second quarter, Memphis led 60-52 at halftime. Both teams were shooting less than 45% from the field.
Mathurin score 10 straight to open the third, pulling Indiana back into the game. But Coward got untracked, scoring 15 points in the period as Memphis extended the lead to 103-84 entering the fourth.
Up next
Pacers: Continue a three-game road trip at Minnesota on Sunday.
Grizzlies: Travel to Golden State to face the Warriors on Monday.