Following a 25-game suspension, Grizzlies guard Ja Morant wanted simply 24 minutes to get again to All-Star kind.
Morant bumped into the backcourt to get a operating begin earlier than driving to the rim for the game-winning bucket and a 115-113 Memphis Grizzlies win over the New Orleans Pelicans. He completed with 34 factors, eight assists and 6 rebounds in his first recreation of the 2023-24 NBA season, instantly altering the fortune of a Grizzlies workforce that struggled to a 6-19 begin earlier than Tuesday.
Memphis trailed by as many as 24 factors and was down by 19 at halftime. Morant began gradual, making simply two pictures within the first two quarters. However within the second half, he and his teammates caught hearth, due to Morant’s relentless assault on offense.
A 36-point quarter bought the Grizzlies inside ten factors, and so they stored coming. A Morant bucket with 1:22 remaining gave the Grizzlies their first lead for the reason that 7:06 mark of the second quarter.
He adopted with a sprinting layup on the following possession to place Memphis forward. After Herb Jones tied it together with his high-speed layup, Morant and C.J. McCollum traded missed pictures earlier than Morant ended it.
27 of Morant’s factors got here within the second half, with 14 within the remaining quarter. It wasn’t simply his scoring that put stress on the Pelicans’ protection, however his passing too.
He additionally created alternatives on the free-throw line, which was a welcome sight for the Grizzlies, who’re second-to-last within the league in factors off free throws. Morant went 10-of-12 from the road, and due to the chaos his drives created, Jaren Jackson Jr. took 15 free throws, making 11, and bought a number of dunks.
It was an enormous return for Morant, suspended twice by NBA commissioner Adam Silver for brandishing a handgun on Instagram dwell streams. He is stayed out of trouble for the reason that final incident in June and reportedly complied with the entire league’s necessities. He is additionally clearly stayed in form, wanting like probably the most energetic participant on the ground down the stretch regardless of taking part in practically 35 minutes.
The sport additionally served as a referendum on the 2019 NBA Draft, the place Memphis picked Morant at No. 2 after the Pelicans chosen Zion Williamson. Williamson had 13 factors and was 5-of-12 for taking pictures, getting solely half as many rebounds (three) as Morant (six).
Memphis nonetheless has an extended option to go to make up for his or her poor begin. However with their 24-point comeback and Morant’s return, it is simpler to consider they will climb the standings within the Western Convention.