Ja Morant made a strong return to the Memphis Grizzlies after missing eight games and nearly three weeks due to hip and pelvic muscle injuries. Playing for the first time since his injury on November 6, Morant scored 20 of his 22 points in the first half, added 11 assists, and helped lead the Grizzlies to a 123-98 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night.
“It felt good. Felt like I played good. Looked good,” Morant said with a smile.
The two-time All-Star guard had been listed as questionable, but the Grizzlies confirmed about 45 minutes before the game that he would play against the Trail Blazers.
Morant, who was the second pick in the 2019 draft, is averaging 20.6 points, 9.1 assists, and five rebounds in eight games this season.
His performance showed how well he had returned to form despite being out for a while.
“Just attacking my return process,” Morant said about being ready. “The ramp up. Making sure I’m in rhythm when I’m out there.”
Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins was pleased with Morant’s immediate impact.
“He works his tail off,” Jenkins said. “This past week was the best work I’ve seen from him in a return-to-play process.”
While Morant had a dunk in his return, two of his passes that led to assists excited the Memphis crowd. One was an alley-oop to Jaren Jackson Jr., who scored 21 points and blocked four shots. The other was a behind-the-back pass to Brandon Clarke, setting him up for an easy inside basket.
Morant said the assist to Jackson was the better one, while the pass to Clarke felt almost routine after years of playing together.
“I just know from playing with Ja to be ready always,” Clarke said. “It’s just about having your hands ready.”
When asked about Morant’s impact on the game, Clarke said, “Oh, it’s huge. It’s everything. He just knows how to find you and get our offense running. He makes it fun to play every night.”
Morant’s return strengthened the Grizzlies’ lineup, with six players finishing in double figures and eleven players getting significant minutes before the game ended in the fourth quarter. This was also one of the few times this season that Memphis’ three main players — Morant, Jackson Jr., and Desmond Bane — were all on the court at the same time.
“When we’ve got the big three, it’s different,” reserve forward Santi Aldama said. “It’s also easier to play that way. We’re talking about Ja. Just having him back, just the energy, the gravity, it’s completely different. Hopefully we start building the chemistry with them.”
