Ja Morant’s second season in the NBA was not the crowning glory it was meant to be. After a terrific start that saw the former No.2 pick win Rookie of the Year, Morant stagnated a bit in his sophomore year. He battled an ankle injury early in the season that caused him to miss eight games, and soon after his return, his Memphis Grizzlies faced a potential Covid outbreak that put several players into protocol. league health and safety and resulted in the postponement of six games.
Morant had to play the majority of the season without Jaren Jackson Jr., the young big man who was supposed to be his co-headliner. Perhaps as a result, Morant looked like he was pushing for much of the season. As scoring efficiency skyrocketed in the league, Morant’s true shooting percentage rose from 55.6% as a rookie to 53.7% in his sophomore year, a rating well below average. of the league. He didn’t hit the rim as often, his three-point percentage fell to a paltry 30.3%, and his other numbers remained stable.
Morant was still considered a rising star in Memphis, but his star was not so bright. As other young league players like Zion Williamson, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and De’Aaron Fox progressed, Morant’s performance remained about the same – if not slightly worse. It was a reminder that development in the NBA is not always linear.
Despite a tough season, the Grizzlies lived up to their self-proclaimed philosophy and scored enough wins to make it into the play-in tournament. After outliving the San Antonio Spurs in their first game, Memphis upset the Golden State Warriors to secure their playoff ticket behind a brilliant 35-point effort from Morant, which froze the win with back-to-back buckets in the end. extensions.
In Memphis season’s biggest moment, Morant looked like a rising superstar once again, showcasing his signature mix of downhills, creative finishes, and teardrop-shaped floats. Maybe this game proved Morant right, because since entering the playoffs nothing has stopped him.
Morant helped the Grizzlies to a shocking Game 1 victory over frontrunner Utah Jazz – who played without his own young star, Donovan Mitchell – with 26 points. Even though Memphis fell in Game 2 Thursday night, Morant was absolutely electric, finishing with 47 points on 15 of 27 shots and adding seven assists.
It was a masterpiece even when defeated. Never has Morant’s vision to one day become one of the best players in the league has been so clear:
It was a historic performance in many ways. It was the most points a Grizzlies player has ever scored. At 21, Morant became the fourth youngest player to drop over 40 points in a playoff game, the other three being Magic Johnson, LeBron James and Luka Doncic. Only George Mikan had scored more than the 73 points Morant had collected in his first two playoff games.
It was a game that Utah should have gotten away with, but Morant didn’t want that to happen. Jazz led by no less than 22 points just before halftime. Towards the end of the third quarter, it was a game with one possession. Morant was the catalyst, repeatedly burning Utah’s pick-and-roll coverage as he worked his way through the paint and finding ways to let down the league’s most intimidating inside defenseman Rudy Gobert.
Morant even challenged Gobert head-on at the end of the first half for what would have been an all-time dunk had he succeeded. Jazz fans laughed at those who praised Morant for his failure rather than celebrating Gobert’s block, and maybe there’s something to that. There’s no denying Gobert’s greatness, especially in a game where he finished with 21 points, 13 rebounds and frustrated Memphis center Jonas Valanciunas. Seeing Morant consistently score on someone as talented as Gobert is part of what made his performance so spellbinding.
Even though Morant failed to attempt his poster, he still found a way to complete another memorable dunk with that reverse alley finish.
Morant’s future fame has always been about more than the numbers. It was incredibly impressive, so see it after a league average scoring efficiency with huge use rate as a 20-year-old rookie last season, but that doesn’t capture what makes him special. Morant slips onto the pitch in a way that can’t be taught, freezing snake defenders, crossovers flourish, and unique angles to get what he wants. Watching it is giving yourself the opportunity to see something on an NBA field that you’ve never seen before. It does all of this with a distinct joy that transcends advanced metrics meant to capture global impact.
Even after such a good game, Morant was still not satisfied with himself.
The Grizzlies shouldn’t have much luck against a team as good as the Jazz. Utah have won the most NBA games this season and beat the league in net standings – they’re not a paper tiger, they’re a legitimate title contender. Even with Mitchell back in the lineup, the Grizzlies still had Utah on their heels. If the Jazz didn’t shoot a scorching 19 of 39 (48.7%) at three points, it’s possible that Morant would have done the unthinkable and placed his team 2-0 in the series.
Memphis is unlikely to win this series, but the masterful performance of Morant and his teammates will remain on the minds of NBA fans going forward. The Grizzlies have a young and fun team that embodies a spirit similar to that of the old Grit-n-Grind phase of the franchise. With Morant in the lead, the Grizzlies know they have the cornerstone of their next great era.
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