Grizzlies star Ja Morant was able to back up his words with his heroics against the Pelicans on Tuesday.
The Memphis Grizzlies have sorely missed Ja Morant during his 25-game suspension. Heading into Morant’s return game against the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday night, the Grizzlies have gone 6-19 — around eight games back from a play-in tournament spot. Even the 24-year old point guard knows just how much at fault he is for Memphis’ terrible start to the 2023-24 season.
“I’m a dawg. I’m a dawg. I put the work in [day-in], day-out,” the Grizzlies star told TNT’s Stephanie Ready during his immediate postgame interview before getting swarmed by his teammates, via ClutchPoints Twitter (X).
Stephanie Ready: “You were a little winded down the stretch, that’s to be expected. How did you cope with that?”
Ja Morant: “I’m a dawg. I’m a dawg.” 💯pic.twitter.com/yTraOFjy6T
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 20, 2023
Ja Morant is clearly putting his pre-season ESPN ranking to shame, as it’s clear that his impact for the Grizzlies goes beyond whatever he puts up on the stat sheet or whatever efficiency metrics analysts love to judge him by. Morant is a leader on the court, and his mere presence elevates the game of everyone else on the team.
Facing a stacked Pelicans team that had all its heavy-hitters, including Morant’s 2019 NBA Draft classmate Zion Williamson, active on Tuesday, the 6-19 Grizzlies had their work cut out for them. The Pelicans also boasted the services of a few perimeter defenders that are capable of slowing down Morant as well, with Herb Jones and Jose Alvarado ready to serve as annoyances.
Morant wasn’t in peak form yet as well, as he’s been away from the game for quite some time now; so for him to drop 34 points, six rebounds, and eight assists to carry the Grizzlies, a team that’s playing on the second night of a back-to-back, to victory is nothing short of a “I got that dawg in me” moment.
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