Memphis battled in Washington but couldn’t close it out in a 116–112 loss to the Wizards. Jaren Jackson Jr. led the Grizzlies with a team-high 31 points, doing most of his damage inside and from the free-throw line.
Ja Morant chipped in 21 points, pushing the tempo and attacking the basket all night. Cedric Coward and Jaylen Wells each scored 11 points, while Santi Aldama added a solid contribution with 14 points to keep Memphis within striking distance late.
For the Wizards, Alex Sarr paced Washington with 20 points and grabbed key rebounds, and CJ McCollum added 16 big points to steady the home offense. Bilal Coulibaly and Justin Champagnie each scored 14, helping Washington hit enough timely shots down the stretch. Despite Memphis’s late push, the Wizards made just enough plays in crunch time to hold on for the win.
Next up: Memphis hosts the 76ers on Tuesday (12/30) at FedExForum at 7:00 p.m. live on 92.9 FM ESPN