Ja Morant’s skill to take over a sport hasn’t diminished.
Morant did not miss a beat in main the Memphis Grizzlies to a 126-124 season-opening victory over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday evening. The 2-time NBA all-star completed with 22 factors on 7-of-12 taking pictures, 10 assists and 5 rebounds in solely 28 minutes. It was the twenty fourth sport of his profession the place he had no less than 20 factors, 10 assists and 5 rebounds.
“My job as a degree guard is to manage the sport,” Morant stated. “I hate if I let the opposite group’s level guard management the sport. No matter I can do to ensure it is in our favor, I attempt to do.”
His efficiency comes on the heels of a 2023-24 season marred by controversy and harm. The NBA suspended him for the primary 25 video games for flashing a gun on his buddy’s Instagram account. Then, after showing in simply 9 video games, Morant suffered a season-ending shoulder harm.
The lengthy rehabilitation course of he went by means of following shoulder surgical procedure made Morant respect how a lot basketball meant to him whereas it was gone. As soon as he was cleared for full basketball actions once more in mid-July, he appeared ahead to stepping again out on the court docket on Wednesday.
The second was every part he anticipated and needed.
“I used to be simply excited to be again on the market,” Morant stated. “These guys belief and imagine in me each time I am on the market on the ground, so it is solely proper I am going on the market and play free.”
Morant’s exercise on each ends of the ground helped the Grizzlies climate a fourth-quarter rally from the Jazz. He got here up with well timed baskets or assists at any time when Memphis wanted a solution. Defensively, he labored to be disruptive and preserve the Jazz from completely seizing momentum down the stretch.
Morant made each minute he was on the ground depend. “He solely performed 28 minutes tonight,” Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins stated. “However these have been hard-playing 28 minutes.”
Morant’s objective is to be much more productive and environment friendly as he will get continued reps. It is an extension of the work he put in over the summer time to enhance his sport and heighten his affect on the ground.
“That was the largest takeaway from this summer time is the funding in his physique, understanding we’ll proceed to push him much more than we have finished prior to now,” Jenkins stated. “He responded in sport one. We will want it for a lot of, many extra video games shifting ahead.”
