SUMMARY
- Ja Morant made his debut for the Memphis Grizzlies after a 25-game suspension.
- Memphis Grizzlies had been struggling in terms of offense since the absence of Ja Morant.
The Memphis Grizzlies faced off against the New Orleans Pelicans on December 19, 2023, at the Smoothie King Center in a road game. While the Grizzlies are riding a 5-game losing streak, tonight’s star player seemed to outshine the rest of the team. Competing against Zion Willamson and Co., Ja Morant made his debut after a 25-game suspension.
Rooting from the display of handguns on his social handles, NBA commissioner Adam Silver suspended Ja Morant for a duration of 25 games in March 2023. Standing third from the bottom of the Western Conference, the Memphis Grizzlies are at 6-19 without Morant. However, tonight the player turned it all around for the franchise, as he is showcasing his All-Star Caliber potential on the hardwood.
It’s an open secret that without Ja Morant, the franchise was trailing behind the entire league in terms of offense. Furthermore, although the team traded in Marcus Smart, the player has failed to make an appearance since November 14, 2023, owing to a sprained ankle. Amidst all this ‘Hoos and Haas,’ veteran point guard Derrick Rose made a comment about Morant.
“He’s a hard-working motherf*cker. I know that. I’m proud of him, very proud of him. Never complains. He’s there early, there after, at shootaround, practices… You can just see it. You haven’t heard anything about him. And that’s a great thing.”
Derrick Rose on how Ja Morant… pic.twitter.com/LKuB8jTYIb
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 19, 2023
Derrick Rose said, “He’s a hard-working motherf*cker. I know that. I’m proud of him, very proud of him. Never complains. He’s there early, there after, at shootaround, practices… You can just see it. You haven’t heard anything about him. And that’s a great thing.” Not only that the stellar comeback of the player has shocked coach Jenkins as well.
Grizzlies Coach Taylor Jenkins said in a pregame media interaction that the player has been practicing since the start of the season. Getting this opportunity at Game 26 has definitely called for a mini-debut game for the Grizzlies in itself. Comments like these might push the star guard to put up a bigger number on the scoreboard moving forward.
Ja Morant’s performance vs. the New Orleans Pelicans
The No. 2 pick overall in the 2019 draft and 2020 NBA Rookie of the Year was suspended for 33 games overall after he was found flashing firearms on an Instagram live video. The 23-year-old has also won the title of ‘Most Improved Player’ in 2022. However, the highlights are that the player bounced back in his first game only while being out for such a long duration.
That’s no easy number for a player who has been out all this time. Along with Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane delivered above-average performances tonight. Handing a stellar win to the Grizzlies against the Pelicans 115-113, Morant has established his dominance on the hardwood. After all, the two-point driving layup turned out to be a signature buzzer-beater as he reclaimed his place on the roster.