Boozer tows Grizzlies past Blazers

LOS ANGELES (AFP) — The Memphis Grizzlies, fueled by a triple-double from teenager Cameron Boozer, topped the Portland Trail Blazers 124-103 in a battle of National Basketball Association (NBA) unbeatens on Thursday, Portland guard Ja Morant’s first game against his former team ending with an injury.

Boozer, taken third in June’s NBA draft, scored 18 points with 12 rebounds and 12 assists for the Grizzlies.

The game in Portland was billed as Morant’s reunion with the Grizzlies, the team that drafted him second overall in 2019. He earned Rookie of the Year honors in 2020 and emerged as a star in his seven-year tenure in Memphis.

He also had a pair of lengthy suspensions and, after multiple injuries limited him to 20 games last season, he was traded in June.

Morant finished with 14 points, two rebounds and three assists before exiting in the fourth quarter with a hamstring injury.

Boozer, meanwhile, stole the show, becoming at 19 years and 103 days the second-youngest player in NBA history to post a triple-double, after Josh Giddey in 2022 (19 years, 84 days).

“It’s nice,” Boozer said. “I’m going to keep going. Season just started, we’ve got 77 more (games) — so a lot more to come.”

Isaiah Stewart added 18 points off the bench and eight players scored in double figures for the Grizzlies, who improved to 5-0. They and the 5-0 Houston Rockets are the only remaining unbeaten teams.

The New Orleans Pelicans, fueled by a 22-point, 13-assist double-double from Jeremiah Fears, bagged their first win of the season with a 132-120 victory over the Sacramento Kings.

Fears, 20, added eight rebounds, four blocked shots, and two steals, and Zion Williamson scored 22 points for the Pels, who had seven players score in double figures to improve to 1-4.

“We’re not off to a great start, but we’re changing this thing around for sure,” Fears said.