LOS ANGELES — It looked like there would be so much to decipher, so much to discern toward the end of another Lakers game.

This time, though, the tension dissolved after the Lakers fended off the Memphis Grizzlies, 121-118, Sunday at Staples Center.

Grizzlies guard Ja Morant scored 40 points but missed the third of three free throws with 1.9 seconds left to allow the fun to return on the Lakers’ side after home losses to Golden State and Phoenix added a hint of unexpected pressure to the start of their season.

Carmelo Anthony turned back the clock with a 28-point effort, making six of eight from three-point range to give the Lakers’ offense a jump start off the bench.

He also carved out a small piece of history with a three-pointer in the third quarter that pushed him past Moses Malone for ninth place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.

“Carmelo Anthony was awesome tonight. He didn’t crawl up to that milestone. He blew the doors off it,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said. “He’s got a lot left in the tank and he’s really going to help us this year.”

Anthony also had a lay-up off a key offensive rebound with a minute left to put the Lakers ahead by three. Anthony, 37, now has 27,423 points and can pass Shaquille O’Neal for eighth place by the end of the season if he stays healthy and averages 15 points a game.

“To be on that list…it’s hard to put it in words,” said Anthony, who signed a one-year contract with the Lakers in August. “Overall it was a hell of a night. They gave me the game ball. They wanted me to make a speech but I was too tired.”

Anthony’s milestone was almost overshadowed by the play of Morant. He never let the Lakers rest thanks to a pleasing array of long-distance shots and hang-in-the-air plays around the basket. He also added 10 assists.

Morant could have sent the game to overtime when he drew a foul on Kent Bazemore while attempting a three-point shot in the final seconds. He made the first two free throws to bring Memphis within a point but missed the third.

Morant took to Twitter immediately after the game, writing that “failure builds character.”

Russell Westbrook had a productive game for the Lakers, collecting 13 points and 13 assists though he also had nine turnovers. LeBron James had 19 points and six assists.

There was plenty of chatter before opening night about the Lakers’ need for shooters, and whether they’d done enough to improve upon their subpar finish of 21st in the league last season from three-point range. (They were also the second-worst team from deep in the playoffs.)

So far they’ve been fine behind the arc. They were eighth in the league coming into Sunday’s game with a 39.5% effort from three-point range. Then came a superb 16-for-30 night (53%) from deep against the Grizzlies. In addition to Anthony’s six three-pointers, James made four and has more through three games (14) than any other time in his 19-year career.

Sunday’s game marked the start of an easy stretch of the Lakers’ schedule, at least on paper, with seven consecutive games against teams not projected to make playoffs.

That run continues Tuesday and Wednesday with a quick road trip to San Antonio and Oklahoma City, teams that are undergoing large-scale rebuild seasons.