Ja Morant Sends a Stern Warning to the Warriors and the Rest of the League: ‘Put Some Respect on Our Name’
The Memphis Grizzlies have quietly become the league’s hottest team, tallying 10 straight wins. Star point guard Ja Morant has led the charge behind his MVP-caliber performance. After Tuesday’s impressive win over the Golden State Warriors, Morant delivered a stern message to the rest of the NBA.
Ja Morant leads the Grizzlies past the Warriors
On Tuesday night, the Grizzlies remained red hot by topping the Warriors, earning their 10th straight win.
Morant led the charge with a game-high 29 points on 11-of-23 shooting while dishing out eight assists. In the final minute, the 22-year-old sealed the deal, scoring five points to extend the franchise-best winning streak.
“I just like having that pressure,” Morant said after the Grizzlies’ 15th home win via ESPN. “I feel like that’s when I shine the most. I like to be the one taking that shot, hit or miss.”
The third-year guard has been on an impressive offensive tear in his last nine games, averaging 27.9 points, 6.4 assists, and 6.2 rebounds on 52.2% shooting from the floor and 46.9% from beyond the arc. It includes seven 20-point outings, with three 30-point performances whiles shooting above 45% six times.
Morant is the Grizzlies’ driving force as his stellar play has elevated him into the early MVP discussion. After the statement victory over the Warriors, he delivered a stern warning for the rest of the league
Ja Morant sends a stern warning to the Warriors and the rest of the league: ‘Put some respect on our name’
Over the last couple of weeks, the Grizzlies have quietly been playing the best basketball in the league.
Memphis’ 10-game winning streak features road wins over the Phoenix Suns and Brooklyn Nets while topping the Los Angeles Lakers twice. The recent surge has pushed them 3.5 games behind the Suns for the Western Conference’s top spot.
After the walk-off interview following Tuesday’s win, Morant sent a firm warning to the rest of the NBA.
“Big game, stop playing with us man,” Morant said. “10 of them things stop playing with us man. Put some respect on our name.”
Memphis has become a pleasant surprise behind their young core group led by Morant. They hold a 22-9 record against Western Conference opponents while possessing a 14-6 road mark, winning 12 out of their last 13 games.
Before Tuesday’s contest, the Grizzlies won 19 out of its last 23 games with a league-best average scoring margin of +13.2 points over that span. Meanwhile, they hold an NBA-best 17-9 mark against teams with winning records. They are also one of five teams currently ranked inside the top 10 in offensive (112.2) and defensive (108.1) ratings.
It’s reached the point where Morant and the Grizzlies should no longer be ignored.
Ja Morant deserves serious MVP consideration
Beyond the Grizzlies moving their way up the standings, Morant is building a strong early MVP case.
The 22-year-old is averaging 24.9 points, 6.7 assists, 5.7 rebounds while shooting 48.9% from the floor and 37.9% from 3-point range. He’s currently one of five players averaging at least 24.0 points, 6.0 assists, and 5.0 rebounds alongside Stephen Curry, Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Nikola Jokic. He ranks third with 14.8 points in the paint per game and first with 4.4 fast break points per contest.
As Morant pushes the Grizzlies forward, he and his team will finally receive the respect they deserve.
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