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Ja Morant marked his return after suspension with a stellar game-winning performance against the New Orleans Pelicans. The Memphis Grizzlies guard propped up 34 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists to help the side win 115-113 at the Smoothie King Center on Tuesday. The highlight, however, was his game-winning buzzer beater that showed vintage Morant at his best. Unlike his usual barreling to the rim, Morant breezed past defender Herb Jones to sink one in in the final seconds of the contest.
The courtside view of Morant's layup makes for an amazing watch, and you can view the clip below:
With a between-the-legs dribble, Morant got into the lane, spun, and dished a floater. Jones initially tried to thwack at the ball before going up to block it. Morant's layup stayed on the rim for a few seconds before going in. Soon after he swished it, the 24-year-old was rounded up and cheered for by his teammates as the Grizzlies celebrated a fine win after going through a rough phase without their mercurial guard.
He wasn't without help as Desmond Bane (21 points and 5 assists) and Jaren Jackson Jr. (24 points and 6 rebounds) helped Memphis outshine the Pelicans in their backyard.
Ja Morant on proving a point to the New Orleans Pelicans fans for booing him
The New Orleans Pelicans fans welcomed Ja Morant with boos on Tuesday night and that might have played a huge role in his incredible game. By the end of the clash, he made sure he had silenced the crowd, and when asked about the boos upon his return, he had one simple sentence:
"You see where that got them."
Morant's clutch heroics saw him earn massive respect from LA Lakers superstar LeBron James. The NBA's all-time leading scorer took to X to share a message saying that the guard was well and truly back:
12!!!! That’s all
The return of Ja Morant may come as good news for the Grizzlies, but even he knows that the job is far from finished. Memphis have lost more games than they have won. At 9-17 and placed 13th in the stacked West, they will need to finish strong before the All-Star break and then resume to win as many as possible to break into the playoffs.
For now, this team looks mostly a play-in contender after being ravaged by injuries. Only time will tell if Morant can lead the side to a massive comeback.
