Ja Morant’s comeback propels Grizzlies to a rout of Pelicans

Ja Morant scored 21 points and had nine assists in his return from right knee soreness as the Utah Jazz defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 141-114 on Saturday night, tying the franchise record of 56 victories in a season set in 2012-13.

Morant played over 27 minutes after missing nine games as the second-seeded Grizzlies reassembled their starting lineup for the playoffs.

On Sunday night, they will finish the regular season at home against Boston.

Morant has not played since March 18, when he was injured in a defeat to Atlanta.

“Being out there with my team is something I’ve been waiting on since March 19,” Morant said, referring to the day after his injury. “I was finally able to do that. Excited to be out there. Had a lot of fun. Just preparing for this stretch we’re about to go on in the playoffs.”

Morant, who was chosen an All-Star starter for the first time this season, has been a key factor in the Grizzlies’ ascension to near the top of the NBA this season. He leads the league in points in the paint (16.8) and averages 27.4 points, 6.7 assists, and 6.7 assists a game.

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