The Milwaukee Bucks were devoured by the short-handed Memphis Grizzlies 122-99. Giannis was pretty good, with 37 points to go with 11 boards and four assists, along with 11 rebounds. Brook Lopez (12 points) and Bobby Portis Jr. (11) were the only others in double figures. But Dame scored four. Yup.

Meanwhile, Ja was magnificent, notching a triple-double with 26 points, 10 rebounds, and 14 assists. He made it look fun and effortless. Adjectives that did not describe the Bucks.

Ja Morant started this one en fuego. The Bucks (particularly Delon Wright) simply had no answer for him, and he elevated his teammates like Scotty Pippin Jr too.

On the other side of the ball, the Bucks found some early success with ball movement and Brook inside, but the ball movement slowed and it was raining bricks (including from guess who).

The Grizzlies’ high press was effective and flustered Dame in particular (his first basket came with a few minutes left in the half). Taken together, Memphis dominated the quarter, including a 14-point run, and finished the frame up a decisive 40-24.

Giannis took over in a mostly good way to start the second, getting the ball from his teammates in good positions. Extended AJax minutes (and a resting Ja) helped enliven the Bucks on the other end. But Ja wouldn’t rest forever, and combined with some iffy rebounding, a lead that had been cut to 7 ballooned back out to 22.

Without Giannis, and even with Giannis once he returned, Milwaukee wasn’t moving the ball much. Their limited ball movement found some looks outside… where they shot 3 for 21. By the end of the half, the Grizzlies were the Harlem Globetrotters and the Bucks were the Washington Generals. It was 70-48 (!) at the half.

Giannis led the “charge” coming out of the break, but the Ja show wasn’t over. I counted three alley-oops in five minutes. Brook made two threes – hooray! – but the bricks continued.

Not even the free-throw line was immune: the Bucks sat below 50% at the end of the quarter, punctuated by AJax missing two – TWO – with two seconds left. Although Memphis was the worst third-quarter team coming into tonight, they outscored Milwaukee (the second worst third-quarter team) by seven to lead 99-70 after three. Perhaps that triggered a discount on Michelob Ultra at a local gas station.

The fourth quarter happened. Giannis scored a bunch. Ja was Ja. The Playback was marked by existentialist angst. The deficit became a little more respectable, and then it didn’t. This game was over.

The Bucks host the unbeaten Cleveland Cavaliers (5-0) on Saturday.