The Memphis Grizzlies have been on a roller coaster for the past several seasons.
They made the playoffs for three straight years starting in the 2020-2021 campaign, but the team took a nosedive last year.
Many attributed to their sub-.500 record to Ja Morant’s absence for much of the year.
Morant has struggled with some off-court issues, which kept him sidelined for quite some time.
Grizzlies fans missed having his electric energy on the floor, which has been put on full display to start the 2024-2025 season.
Morant is known for making highlight-reel plays and added another to his resume on Monday night.
As the NBA on ESPN showcased on X, Morant drove the lane, and when he met a defender in the air, he pulled off a 360 spin, followed by a soft lay-in for a bucket.
JA MORANT 360 LAYUP ? pic.twitter.com/mWIcEtBUqg
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) November 5, 2024
Morant’s move was met with an instant reaction at the time, and the clip has since gone viral.
This is the version of Morant that the Grizzlies were missing.
If he can stay healthy and stay out of trouble, and if his teammates can help along the way, the Grizzlies might just be able to make some noise down the stretch.
The Western Conference is already proving to be a dogfight, with many teams looking like they could be contenders in the playoffs.
If this team finds the identity they had during their three-year stretch of postseason appearances, they should find themselves back there, hoping to make a deeper run than they have before.
NEXT: Grizzlies Announce New Contract With Scotty Pippen Jr.
