The Memphis Grizzlies have plenty of ground to cover in their climb back into the playoff race, but Ja Morant’s return has made everything seem possible again.
Morant and the Grizzlies will look to build on their best win of the season when they face the visiting Indiana Pacers on Thursday night.
Memphis trailed by as many as 24 against the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday before charging back for a 115-113 win. Morant finished with 34 points in his season debut and hit a game-winning shot at the buzzer to help the Grizzlies snap a five-game losing streak.
Morant added six rebounds and eight assists in his return to the Memphis lineup after serving a 25-game suspension for holding a gun during multiple videos last spring.
“I’ve been putting work in, man,” Morant said. “I ain’t play a game in eight months. Had a lot of time to learn myself. A lot of hard days where I went through it. But you know, basketball is my life — what I love, therapeutic for me. And I’m just excited to be back.”
The Grizzlies are 7-19 heading into the matchup against Indiana, which ended a four-game losing streak with a 144-113 win over the visiting Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday.
Buddy Hield scored 25 points in the victory, while Tyrese Haliburton registered 19 points and 13 assists. The Pacers shot 61.3 percent from the field, including 18-for-39 (46.2 percent) from 3-point range.
The Pacers believe they are back on track following a disappointing week. The team struggled after making an impressive run in the NBA’s in-season tournament, which ended with a loss in the final against the Los Angeles Lakers.
“Winning cures a lot,” Hield said. “Everybody’s relieved. Coming off the high of the in-season tournament, we rode the storm (out). (Thursday) we have another storm to weather. Ja Morant is back.”
Indiana leads the league in scoring with an average of 128 points per game, but coach Rick Carlisle wants to see more effort on the defensive end.
Carlisle suggested that lineup changes might be needed in order to improve the league’s second-worst defense (126.5 points allowed per game).
“We’ll do whatever,” Carlisle said. “Our goal is to be a playoff team this year. Our ultimate goal is to be a championship team. We have to keep both of those targets in mind with decisions that are made.”
Indiana has lost its past four meetings against Memphis, which is 1-11 at home this season. The Grizzlies hope home success will return thanks to Morant, who was clearly winded at times on Tuesday while playing 35 minutes.
Morant’s teammates helped keep Memphis within striking distance. Jaren Jackson Jr. finished with 24 points and Desmond Bane added 21 points.
Morant’s 34 points — including 27 in the second half — were the most in league history by a player returning from an absence of at least 25 games.
“He was able to do whatever he wanted,” Pelicans forward Zion Williamson said. “Ja was able to get downhill a lot. Him doing that opened up the game for the rest of them.”
–Field Level Media