Morant and Bane star as the Grizzlies beat the Nets 135-119

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Ja Morant had 28 points and 10 assists, and the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Brooklyn Nets 135-119 on Friday night for their fourth consecutive win.

Desmond Bane added 21 points as Memphis improved to 10-1 in its last 11 games overall. Santi Aldama and Jaren Jackson Jr. each had 20 points.

Memphis lost its first two games against Brooklyn this season.

Dorian Finney-Smith led the Nets with 19 points, while Dennis Schroder and Jalen Wilson each finished with 15. The Nets lost for the fifth time in six games.

The Grizzlies led 69-56 at halftime. Morant scored 18 in the first half.

Nets: Brooklyn played physical on defense and the game got chippy in the second half. The Nets ended up shooting 46% from the field.

Grizzlies: The Grizzlies were able to play the game at more of their pace, scoring more points than their league-leading average of 122. They also managed 22 fast-break points.

The Nets put together an 11-0 run early in the third quarter to erase a double-digit deficit, but the Grizzlies answered with an 18-3 burst that took the lead back to 17 points.

Memphis averages 122.1 points a game. The Nets had held the Grizzlies under 107 in the two previous wins this season. Memphis was already at 107 entering the fourth quarter.

Brooklyn hosts Cleveland on Monday. Memphis travels to Los Angeles to face the Lakers on Sunday.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Brooklyn Nets forward Jalen Wilson (22) drives against Memphis Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart (36) in the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) reacts beside Brooklyn Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez, left, in the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)

Brooklyn Nets forward Jalen Wilson (22) handles the ball against Memphis Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart (36) in the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)

Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke (15) handles the ball against Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton in the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) shoots between Brooklyn Nets guard Dennis Schroder (17) and forward Cameron Johnson (2) in the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)

Brooklyn Nets forward Dorian Finney-Smith (28) handles the ball in the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Memphis Grizzlies Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear from Catholic preschools that say it's unconstitutional to exclude them from a state-funded program because they won't admit kids from LGBTQ+ families.

In the latest religious rights case for the conservative-majority court, the justices will hear from Colorado's St. Mary Catholic Parish and the Archdiocese of Denver, which are supported by the Republican Trump administration.

The schools argue that Colorado is violating their religious rights by barring them from the taxpayer-funded universal preschool program over their faith-based admission policies. They say the state has allowed other preschools to prioritize children with disabilities or those from low-income families, so admission based on religious beliefs about gender and same-sex marriage should be allowed, too.

The state said that religious schools are welcome to participate but are required to follow nondiscrimination laws. Income and disability decisions are in line with those rules, Colorado said. The program was created by a 2020 ballot measure and provides public funding for preschool at schools selected by parents.

The plaintiffs are represented by the group Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, which applauded the high court’s decision to take up the case.

“The Supreme Court has repeatedly held that states cannot exclude families from government benefits because of their faith. We’re confident the Court will say the same thing here and put a stop to Colorado’s no-Catholics-need-apply rules,” said Nicholas Reaves, a senior counsel at Becket.

As part of the case, which will be heard in the fall, the court will consider narrowing a landmark 1990 decision over the spiritual use of peyote, a cactus that contains a hallucinogen called mescaline. That opinion, written by conservative icon Justice Antonin Scalia, found religious practices don’t create exemptions from broadly applicable laws.

The justices declined a push from the schools, along with a Catholic family in Colorado, to overturn the ruling.

The high court recently has backed other claims of religious discrimination while taking a more skeptical view of LGBTQ+ rights.

The justices last month ruled against another law in Colorado that banned “conversion therapy” for LGBTQ+ kids after the measure was challenged by a Christian counselor.

Last year, the justices found that parents who have religious objections can pull their children from Maryland public school lessons that use LGBTQ+ storybooks. In 2022, the court found a high school football coach who knelt and prayed on the field after games was protected by the Constitution.

The court deadlocked, though, over a plan to establish a publicly funded Catholic charter school after Justice Amy Coney Barrett recused herself.

Follow the AP's coverage of the U.S. Supreme Court at https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court.

The U.S. Supreme Court is seen in Washington, Tuesday, April 7, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)

The U.S. Supreme Court is seen Friday, April 17, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)