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Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies was surprised by some comments from courtside fans on his return from injury. He faced off against the Oklahoma City Thunder, a team that the Grizzlies beat by 73 points when they played without Ja Morant in a recent match-up. Ja Morant recorded 16 points, six rebounds and eight assists in 28 minutes, having returned after missing 12 games.
The Grizzlies lost against the Thunder 102-99, owing to poor shooting towards the end of the game. Dillon Brooks, Desmond Bane and Ja Morant missed a collective nine field goals in the fourth quarter. Ja Morant was targeted by fans for the loss, with comments asking him to “get back to the bench.” In a postgame interview, Ja Morant shared his feelings about the incident, saying:
“I was running down the court and I heard some fans courtside tell me I need to sit back out... Normally when anybody says something negative about me, it fuels me. But tonight, the remarks from the fans actually hurt.”
Ja Morant is the face of the Memphis Grizzlies franchise
Ja Morant has been a dominant force for the Memphis Grizzlies ever since he was drafted. His displays of athleticism and skill have put him among one of the top few players in the league. In his first 19 games, he averaged 24.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 6.8 assists, winning nine of them.
Without Ja Morant, the Grizzlies went on a 10-2 run, playing some of their best basketball. Morant reflected on his time off and coming back to participate in a loss, saying:
“It’s frustrating for me, watching this team while I was out and the type of basketball they were playing. We beat this team by 73, and then we lose the day I come back against this team. It’s frustrating. I was already in my head coming back out and trusting my knee after missing 12 games. Basketball is my escape; I feel at my best when I play. So, it’s really frustrating.”
The reaction of the mentioned fans seems a little unnecessary, considering one game is not even a sample size to discuss whether the Grizzlies are better off without Ja Morant. Furthermore, the 2019-20 Rookie of the Year, in the previous season, even managed to take the Grizzlies to the first round of the playoffs.
The Memphis Grizzlies beat the Golden State Warriors in the play-in tournament last season to get the final playoff spot of the Western Conference. Ja Morant went on to throw light on his frustration, saying:
“It’s a lot, man. I’m excited to be back and I’m thankful for my teammates because they have tried to keep my spirits up and tell me not to worry about what people say. But, it’s hard not to see that stuff.”
The comments will turn out to be nothing but fuel to Ja Morant’s 2021-22 campaign. Having just returned, he will be looking to cover up for lost time and get back to winning ways. The Memphis Grizzlies will begin a three-game road trip, starting with the Golden State Warriors on Dec 23rd, 2021, and then take on the Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns before they return to their home court.
Guess the Lakers players!
