Enes Kanter scores career high 29 points in loss

UTAH

Utah Jazz center Enes Kanter (0) shoots as Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade (3) and Norris Cole (30) defend in the second half during an NBA basketball game Friday, Dec. 12, 2014, in Salt Lake City. AP Photo

Turkish center Enes Kanter has posted a career-high 29 points for the Utah Jazz in an effort that could not stop hi,s side from losing to his fellow countryman Ömer Aşık’s New Orleans Pelicans.

Kanter added seven rebounds and one assist to his points as the Pelicans overcame a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter for a 119-111 victory Dec. 16.

“It was just little mistakes that added up in the end,” Kanter said. “I think it’s just coming together as a team and realizing they’re on a run. We just need to come together as a team and work as a unit.”
Aşık posted 10 points and five rebounds for the winning side.

Returning from a chest injury, Anthovy Davis of the Pelicans scored nine of his 31 points in the fourth quarter,

“The only thing that matters is that we won,” Davis said. “We just stayed with it.”

Davis also had nine rebounds and three blocks, with all three rejections coming in the pivotal final four minutes.

Davis had nine rebounds and three blocks, with all three rejections coming in the pivotal final four minutes.

Gordon Hayward scored 17 for Utah, which has lost three straight and 12 of 13.

In Memphis, the Grizzlies dealt Golden State Warriors their first defeat in more than a month, snapping their winning streak at 16 games with a 105-98 triumph.

Spanish center Marc Gasol scored 24 points and grabbed seven rebounds for Memphis in the battle between the top two teams in the league.

It was the first Golden State defeat since a Nov. 11 setback against reigning champions San Antonio Spurs.

Memphis clamped down defensively early in the second quarter, forcing 11 consecutive Golden State misses. The Warriors didn’t score a point in the period until the 6:49 mark as the Grizzlies racked up 20 points to build a 14-point advantage.

They never relinquished the lead, although the Warriors twice pulled within two in the final frame.
Zach Randolph scored 17 points with 10 rebounds, Mike Conley supplied 17 points and four steals and Vince Carter nailed four three-pointers as he chipped in 16 points for the Grizzlies, who have won five straight.

Klay Thompson netted 22 points for Golden State. Stephen Curry contributed 19 points, six assists and four steals, but never really caught fire.

Meanwhile, highly regarded Milwaukee Bucks rookie Jabari Parker will miss the rest of the season after the forward tore a ligament in his left knee, the team has confirmed.

Parker suffered the injury, initially believed to be a sprain, when making a drive to the basket in Milwaukee’s win over the Phoenix Suns on Dec. 15.

“Parker will undergo surgery to repair the injury and is expected to miss the remainder of the 2014-15 season,” the Bucks said in a statement.

Parker, the number two overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, had been enjoying a strong rookie season, averaging 12.5 points and 5.6 rebounds entering the game against the Suns.