By: Justin Gincauskas
Ja Morant’s return was something special Tuesday, leading the Memphis Grizzlies to a 115-113 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans. Morant scored 34 points on 50% shooting, which included the game-winning basket as time expired.
Morant’s return comes after serving a 25-game suspension to start the season for brandishing a gun on Instagram Live on May 13. It was the second time he showed a firearm on social media. The league suspended him for eight games for the first offense in March.
Memphis has struggled in Morant’s absence. They started the season 6-19 without the Grizzlies star and are 1-11 at home. The team currently ranks last in the NBA in points per game.
Morant brings energy and a spark that can ignite this Grizzlies offense. He is the leader of this team and is a big reason why they finished second in the Western Conference the previous two seasons.
Can The Grizzlies Make A Playoff Push?
With Morant’s return, can he now lead Memphis to the playoffs? That is the question everyone is asking.
With Morant in the lineup, the Grizzlies are unquestionably a playoff team. They have two players outside Morant who can get 20 points a game on any night. Desmond Bane is averaging a career-best 24.4 points per game this season, while Jaren Jackson Jr. is averaging 21.5 points, also a career-high, to start the year.
If those three players combine for 70 points a game (they had 79 Tuesday), the Grizzlies will win many games the rest of the season.
On Tuesday, Morant proved he is as motivated as ever to get this team back on track. In addition to the 34 points, he also dished out eight assists and grabbed six rebounds. It will not surprise me if he plays lights out for the next 15-20 games, especially as other players start getting banged up after playing a third of the season already. Morant is fresh and is the greatest asset for the Grizzlies right now.
The next few weeks will be critical for Memphis’ playoff hopes. The West is full of NBA championship contenders, which means one or two good teams will miss out on the postseason. The Grizzlies do not have time to get Morant settled, but it looks like he will not need that time either. Having a stable core of guys like Bane, Jackson Jr., and Santi Aldama, who have played with Morant in previous years, will go a long way in helping Memphis claw back into playoff contention.
The Grizzlies sit 6.5 games back of the Phoenix Suns for the 10th seed in the Western Conference. Memphis will have to change and turn things around quickly, and Tuesday’s win against the Pelicans was a good start.
***
Click here for more NBA content.
Follow Fantom Sports on Twitter!
Follow Fantom Sports on TikTok!