“Preached all year how deep our team is, and it showed in this series” - Ja Morant highlights key aspect behind Memphis Grizzlies’ emphatic series win over Timberwolves
Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies clinched their 2022 NBA playoffs first-round series in six games against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday (April 29th). Morant took to Twitter to appreciate the efforts of his teammates, especially the role players, for stepping up and helping Memphis win this hard-fought contest.
Here's what the 2022 MIPOY winner posted after their Game 6 win:
"Preached all year how deep our team is & it showed in this series. big time performances from a lot of guys to get it done."
preached all year how deep our team is & it showed in this series. big time performances from a lot of guys to get it done 🐻💯
Ja Morant struggled to be efficient at times for the Memphis Grizzlies. He scored 21 points per game, shooting 38/20/71 shooting splits. Meanwhile, Jaren Jakson Jr. wasn't in the best of form either, averaging 11 points on 39% shooting. Nevertheless, their teammates stepped up and took invaluable pressure off of the two stars.
Desmond Bane averaged 24 PPG on 50/48/90% in the first round. https://t.co/8jdHQUmHqD
Desmond Bane finished the series as the leading scorer for Memphis, averaging 23.5 points per game, shooting on 49/48/90 splits, while Brandon Clarke covered for the struggling Steven Adams, averaging 16.5 points and nine rebounds per contest, shooting 69% from the floor.
Meanwhile, the likes of Dillon Brooks and Tyus Jones also played their part to perfection, coming up big in clutch moments for the young Grizzlies team.
Analyzing what Ja Morant and Memphis Grizzlies need to do to cause an upset against the Warriors
Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies had to fight hard to achieve their first-round series win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Aside from Game 2, Taylor Jenkins' men failed to produce dominant outings from start to finish against the T'Wolves, often finding themselves trailing by a double-digit lead in late-game situations.
The Grizzlies have shown on multiple occasions that they are still an inexperienced team. They cannot afford to have loose starts against a rival contender like the Golden State Warriors, a team stacked with former NBA champions. That could prove to be costly as the Dubs are one of the best teams when it comes to closing games.
Ja Morant and company will start that series as the underdogs. Nevertheless, they have plenty of talent. They also have an on-court advantage in terms of their length and size to limit the Warriors defensively.
The Memphis Grizzlies will need to be on their toes from start to finish, though, if they are to have a better chance of toppling Steve Kerr's side.
The likes of Morant and Jackson will also have to improve their performances as it will automatically have a great impact offensively on the Grizzlies, especially with the rest of the group firing on all cylinders.