{"id":127692,"date":"2025-03-09T17:44:12","date_gmt":"2025-03-09T21:44:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=127692"},"modified":"2025-03-09T17:44:12","modified_gmt":"2025-03-09T21:44:12","slug":"ja-morant-rediscover-spark-for-grizzlies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/03\/09\/ja-morant-rediscover-spark-for-grizzlies\/","title":{"rendered":"Can Ja Morant Rediscover His Spark for the Grizzlies?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ja Morant<\/a> put up arguably his best performance of the season this past Friday when the Memphis Grizzlies defeated a shorthanded Dallas Mavericks team 122-111. Not only did Morant drop 31 points, but he also managed to score the last seven points of the ballgame, which was crucial for Memphis to secure the victory. Morant’s ability to take over in clutch moments showcased the leadership and poise that the Grizzlies desperately need as they navigate a challenging season.<\/p>\n

Can Ja Morant Rediscover His Spark for the Grizzlies?<\/h2>\n

Morant’s Efforts to Regain Form<\/h3>\n

Ja Morant has had a down year compared to some of his previous seasons, especially following last season’s injury and suspension struggles. Morant has not been the same player since his off-the-court issues began, but Friday’s game showed glimpses of the Morant that fans have grown accustomed to seeing. Despite his struggles with perimeter shooting, he made a significant impact by attacking the basket with pure athleticism. Morant also dominated in the clutch stages of the game, taking control when it mattered most.<\/p>\n

It seems as if Morant is making a concerted effort to rediscover the spark he had in previous seasons. He has been ultra-aggressive in recent games, attempting at least 22 shots in five of his last six contests. Despite not the greatest \u00a0efficiency as he shot less than 45 percent in all five games, Morant’s willingness to keep shooting demonstrates his determination to lead the team. This mindset could be pivotal as the Grizzlies fight to stay competitive in the playoff race.<\/p>\n

The Impact of Jaren Jackson Jr.’s Injury<\/h3>\n

With Jaren Jackson Jr.<\/a> sidelined week-to-week due to an ankle sprain, Morant will continue to have opportunities to put up significant shot volumes. Jackson’s<\/a> absence could allow Morant to recapture his form from previous seasons when he was the unquestioned leader down the stretch. The increased offensive responsibility might help Morant find a rhythm that has been missing for most of the season. If Jackson’s injury does not extend for too long, it could serve as a blessing in disguise for the Grizzlies by allowing Morant to regain his confidence and rhythm.<\/p>\n

A Crucial Comparison: Ja Morant vs. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander<\/h3>\n

Ja Morant is absolutely key for this Grizzlies team. When comparing the Grizzlies to the Oklahoma City Thunder, there are not many differences roster-wise. Both teams have incredible depth, versatility on both ends of the floor, and are well-coached. However, the critical difference is that one superstar\u2014Shai Gilgeous-Alexander<\/a>\u2014is playing at an MVP level, while the other\u2014Morant\u2014is still searching for his groove.<\/p>\n

If Morant can elevate his game to match Gilgeous-Alexander’s<\/a> level, a playoff series between the Thunder and the Grizzlies could be one of the most entertaining in NBA history. For Memphis, everything hinges on whether Morant can sustain performances like the one in Dallas and lead the team back to contention. A resurgent Morant would not only boost the Grizzlies’ playoff hopes but also reestablish him as one of the premier guards in the league.<\/p>\n

Photo credit: \u00a9 Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ja Morant put up arguably his best performance of the season this past Friday when the Memphis Grizzlies defeated a shorthanded Dallas Mavericks team 122-111. Not only did Morant drop 31 points, but he also managed to score the last seven points of the ballgame, which was crucial for Memphis to secure the victory. Morant’s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5400,"featured_media":127701,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[32,1608,62],"tags":[1822],"class_list":["post-127692","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-grizzlies","category-basketball","category-nba","tag-ja-morant"],"modified_by":"Kenny Kluska","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/127692","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5400"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=127692"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/127692\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":127702,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/127692\/revisions\/127702"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/127701"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=127692"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=127692"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=127692"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}