Watch: Jaren Jackson Jr., Joel Embiid trade monster blocks
Joel Embiid was picked first in the All-Star draft. Jaren Jackson Jr. was picked last. Thursday, JJJ got revenge.
Jackson played the fewest minutes of any All-Star, aside from the injured Giannis Antetokounmpo. That left him fully-rested to send back Embiid's shot in the Grizzlies' first game back after the break. Jackson, the NBA's leading shot-blocker, had four blocks in the game
But Embiid got his revenge. With the Grizzlies leading 104-103 late in the 4th quarter, Memphis' other All-Star, Ja Morant, tried to dunk over P.J. Tucker, and Embiid absolutely suffocated the attempt.
It was one of Embiid's six blocks in the game, and his second in the final 5:02. He finished with 27 points and 19 rebounds as the 76ers came back from 12 points down in the 4th quarter to win, 110-105. For his part, Jackson finished with 18, but shot only 1-7 from three-point range.
As for Morant, he was only 3-16. He might be "fine in the West", but Morant struggled in the East Thursday.
Of course, it wouldn't be a Memphis Grizzlies game without Dillon Brooks trying to start a fight.
Brooks got into it with Embiid in the final seconds, and the two each got technical fouls.
How'd the game end? The most poetic way possible. Brooks put up a last-second three, and James Harden blocked him.
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