Ja Morant Stats Tonight: How did Grizzlies superstar perform against the Clippers? (Dec. 23)
Ja Morant is back in the Memphis Grizzlies lineup after missing Saturday's game against the Atlanta Hawks due to lower back soreness. Morant has already missed 12 games this season due to various injuries, but the Grizzlies are second in the Western Conference standings with a 20-9 record.
Morant was a starter alongside Desmond Bane, Jaylen Wells, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Zach Edey. He's averaging 21.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 8.1 assists and 1.2 steals per game entering the contest. He only had nine points, three rebounds and three assists in his last game on Thursday's 144-93 win over the Golden State Warriors.
But how did the two-time NBA All-Star perform against the LA Clippers on Monday? Morant finished the game with 23 points, six rebounds, four assists, a steal and a block. He also had six turnovers, which was a problem for the Grizzlies as a team.
Here are Ja Morant's stats for the game:
How did Ja Morant perform against the LA Clippers?
Ja Morant dropped eight points in the first quarter, dishing out two assists and committing two turnovers as Memphis took a 30-28 lead after the first 12 minutes. He was limited to just seven minutes as the Grizzlies were being cautious due to his minor back injury.
Morant added just three points in the second quarter, but his teammates picked up the slack and helped build the lead. Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson combined for 28 points. The Grizzlies ended the half ahead 58-51 at FedEx Forum.
In the third quarter, Ja Morant got it going by scoring eight points as the Grizzlies were in a tough battle against the Clippers. Norman Powell and Ivica Zubac were doing a lot of damage, while James Harden was close to getting another double-double.
The game was back-and-forth in the final period, with Morant awfully quiet. He only had four points as the Grizzlies' eight-game home winning streak got snapped by the LA Clippers 114-110.
What's next for Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies?
The Memphis Grizzlies have two days off to celebrate Christmas with their families. They are back in action on Dec. 26 at home against the Toronto Raptors. They then go on a rough five-game road trip to end the year and welcome 2025.
Memphis' trip begins in New Orleans before a highly-anticipated showdown against the OKC Thunder on Dec. 29. They then fly to Phoenix for New Year's Eve and finish off the final two games in California against the Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors.
Following their loss to the LA Clippers, the Grizzlies are now 20-10 and sit third in the Western Conference standings behind the Thunder and Houston Rockets.