Toronto Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic understands the impact Ja Morant has on the Memphis Grizzlies.
When the Raptors visit the Grizzlies on Thursday, Rajakovic will return to the arena where he spent three seasons as an assistant coach with Memphis.
Morant, a two-time All-Star guard, missed most of the 2023-24 season due to a league suspension and injuries. However, he has returned and helped lead Memphis to a strong 20-10 start. Despite missing 12 of 30 games with different injuries, he has not been out of the starting lineup for long.
With Morant averaging 21.3 points and 7.9 assists, Memphis holds the third-best record in the Western Conference, behind only Oklahoma City and Houston. Even with Morant’s absences, the Grizzlies have been scoring 126.1 points per game in the 10 games they’ve played this month.
Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins describes Morant as one of the most entertaining and competitive players in the NBA. His commitment to the game has only increased, which has been exciting to witness.
“Since day one, there’s been support for him,” Jenkins said. “He understands the connection with the fans and has given back so much this year. It’s been incredible to watch his growth.”
The Grizzlies are coming off a loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, which ended their eight-game home win streak. Despite this, Morant returned from a one-game absence to score 23 points, grab six rebounds, and dish out four assists.
Jenkins emphasized the need for the team to play as a unit: “It’s not just one person’s job to make up for the loss of a player. We need all five players on the court to know what we are trying to do.”
On the other hand, the Raptors have faced struggles this season. They lost 12 of their first 14 games and are currently 7-23. They also suffered an 139-125 loss to the Knicks on Monday, extending their losing streak to eight games. Their last win came on December 3 against the Indiana Pacers.
However, Rajakovic has seen some positive developments in his second season as head coach. “We’re learning how to play when we’re injured, how to handle back-to-backs, and how to close out games,” he said. “We scored 43 points in the fourth quarter against the Knicks and 73 in the second half, so there are a lot of good things happening.”
One positive has been the recent performance of rookie Ja’Kobe Walter, who has scored 43 points in the past two games and is among the top rookies in scoring with an average of 8.9 points per game.
Another bright spot is Scottie Barnes, who had 24 points and eight assists against the Knicks. Barnes is one of only five players in the league averaging at least 19 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists.
