The Memphis Grizzlies didn’t have a great start to the 2023-24 NBA season, and a huge reason behind the team’s struggles was the absence of Ja Morant for the first 25 games of the campaign.
Morant missed those games due to a suspension imposed on him by the NBA because of his gun-related incidents in the last season.
Following Morant’s return, the Memphis Grizzlies have been injected with a lot of excitement to play well.
Speaking of which, Morant shared his honest views on how he impacts the opponents’ game plans via ClutchPoints on Twitter.
“It’s a different ball game when I’m out there. Team’s gotta scout different and have defensive schemes when I’m on the floor,” Morant said.
“It's a different ball game when I'm out there. Team's gotta scout different and have defensive schemes when I'm on the floor.”
Ja Morant on the boost in play and confidence of being back with Grizzlies.
(via @TomerAzarly) pic.twitter.com/zShsMlYjAR
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 30, 2023
Ja Morant believes his mere presence on the floor disrupts the opposing team’s defensive plans and scouting report.
Considering Morant was the second overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, it’s expected of him to be an elite player in the league.
Outside of his gun-related controversies, Morant has certainly lived up to his potential so far in his NBA career.
Moreover, Morant’s presence on the roster made the Grizzlies one of the best teams in the NBA last season, as they finished as the second seed in the Western Conference with a 51-31 record.
As for this season, Morant has played just five games and is averaging 26.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 8.8 assists for the Grizzlies.
The perfect example of Morant’s impact on the team is the fact that the Grizzlies have a 4-1 record in the games that their young superstar has played.
But the road to a comeback is long for the Grizzlies as they are still the 13th seed in the West with a 10-21 record.
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