Grizzlies record without Ja Morant has NBA Twitter wondering if young star is OVERRATED
The Memphis Grizzlies have a winning record without Morant this season and fans feel they might be better without him
Ja Morant (USA Today)
The Memphis Grizzlies won Game 2 of their Western Conference first-round series against the Los Angeles Lakers without Ja Morant. Xavier Tillman starred for Memphis in their 103-93 win by scoring 22 points on 13 shots. The Grizzlies have tied the series but lost home-court advantage as they head to Los Angeles.
While winning without Morant was an impressive feat, it isn’t as uncommon for the Grizzlies as one might suspect. Last season, Memphis went 20-5 during the regular season without Morant. Some wondered if the team played without their superstar guard. However, those claims came crashing down when they lost to the Golden State Warriors in the second round of the playoffs after Morant picked up a knee injury during that series. This season the Grizzlies went 11-10 in the regular season without him and are 1-0 so far in the playoffs.
Morant’s absence was felt in Game 1 of their ongoing series against the Lakers. He had scored 18 points midway through the fourth quarter when he landed awkwardly on his wrist and exited the game. The Grizzlies lost all momentum after Morant exited the game and eventually succumbed to a loss. The Grizzlies might have an impressive record without Morant over the past two years, but his impact on the team is undeniable when he plays as he was their leading scorer and assister this season.
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NBA Fans feel the Grizzlies are better without Ja Morant
Ja Morant has been the franchise star for the Grizzlies since being drafted in the lottery in 2019. He won the Rookie of the Year award after a stellar debut season and then won the Most Improved Player award in 2022. Recent events, however, have caused fans to reconsider their position on his impact on the team. “Grizzles are better without Ja and, you’ll never convince me otherwise. Record without him and the +/- are no longer a fad,” said one fan on Twitter.
The Grizzlies averaged 117.8 points per game without Morant in 2021/22 and 114 points with him, leading some fans to believe that team plays better without him. Despite Morant leading the team in scoring, the Grizzlies have a better offensive output without him. One fan pointed to their convincing win over Golden State as evidence for being better without Morant, saying, “They have a winning record without JA lol you don’t watch basketball much do you? Without Ja they beat a fully healthy warriors team by 21 lol.” Here are some more fan reactions:
Morant’s status for Game 3 against the Lakers in Los Angeles is unclear. However, if Game 2 were an indicator, the Grizzlies wouldn’t mind letting their All-Star point guard recover fully and trust the rest of their roster to secure a victory and take a 2-1 series lead.
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Anuj Shrikanth Iyer
(290 Articles Published)