Ja Morant, who gifted his mother with the perfect birthday present by clinching victory in his NBA comeback against the Pelicans, admitted to facing numerous challenges during his 25-game suspension. He expressed gratitude towards his teammates on the Grizzlies, referring to them as his “brothers,” for their unwavering support.
In Memphis’ thrilling 115-113 triumph over New Orleans on Tuesday night, the 24-year-old guard capped off an impressive 34-point season debut with a mesmerizing dribble in the lane, setting up a crucial floater with seconds ticking away.
The Grizzlies, who had suffered defeat in their previous five games and held a dismal 6-19 record during Morant’s suspension due to his social media antics involving weapons, found themselves trailing by 24 points at halftime. However, they mounted a remarkable comeback, seizing a 113-111 lead on an inside basket by Morant with just 1:22 left on the clock.
Prior to Morant’s buzzer-beater heroics, the Pelicans managed to tie the game, and both teams missed opportunities from beyond the arc. In a postgame interview with TNT Sports, the two-time All-Star emphasized twice that he’s a “dog,” before delving into the challenges he faced during his absence from play since March.
“I’ve been putting in the work, man. It’s been a lot of time just grinding by myself—I haven’t stepped onto the court in eight months,” Morant remarked. “I’ve had some tough days, but basketball is my passion, my life, and my therapy, so I’m ecstatic to be back.”
When asked about the Grizzlies’ final play of the game, Morant referenced his jersey number. “Called 12,” he stated, expressing his reluctance towards coach Taylor Jenkins calling a timeout.
“[…] They had faith in me.” After eulogizing his friends, Morant continued, “I actually wanted to go on a trip to the post, but they told me no, so I had to deliver for them.”
“They are my brothers, my guys.” Together, we worked hard. rigorous exercises. light-hearted methods. Therapy. Aircraft. Together, we are together all the time. They have been a huge assistance to me during this process.
Simply expressing encouragement, asking me to remain true to myself and to keep working, and showing their belief in me, all of which demonstrates how happy everyone else is for me to be back.
“Happy birthday, Mom! I’m heading home.”The top two NBA draft picks in 2019—Morant and Williamson—only played in the same game seven times overall, despite playing in the same division. This is largely due to Williamson’s health concerns.
On Thursday night, the Grizzlies (7-19) will play host to the Indiana Pacers.
They are ranked above the Portland Trail Blazers (6-19) and San Antonio Spurs (4-21) in the Western Conference as the 13th seed.
On Thursday night, the Pelicans travel to Cleveland to play the Cavaliers.