Stephen A. Smith slams Ja Morant's bench behavior during Grizzlies' total collapse against OKC Thunder
Stephen A. Smith slammed Ja Morant after the Grizzlies suffered a humiliating 50-point loss against the OKC Thunder in their first match of the first-round series. On Saturday, the Memphis camp faced the number one-seeded team in the West and lost 131-80.
As his team faced a total collapse on the court, Ja Morant was seen smiling on the sidelines. Stephen A. Smith did not like the Grizzlies star's reaction to the loss and called him out on the latest episode of First Take.
"You do not want to see the superstar for your team on the bench losing by 50 with a smile on his face," Smith said.
The ESPN analyst started his segment by highlighting that he didn't criticize Morant when he was suspended for making a gun gesture during games last season. He said that he was behind him and even suggested that the league let the matter slide as the Memphis star had superstar potential.
However, as the segment progressed, it was apparent that Smith was putting his disappointment in Morant on the table. He advised the Grizzlies superstar not to smile during huge losses, as it doesn't look good for him and also lessens the fans's belief in him.
Ja Morant reassures fans with a bold claim after getting destroyed by the OKC Thunder
On Saturday, the OKC Thunder surpassed the Grizzlies in every aspect of the game, quickly asserting their dominance in the series as the top team in the West. This loss has swayed the hearts of many who now believe the Bears have no chance against their opponents.
After the game, Ja Morant gave fans some reassurance during the post-game conference. A reporter asked what he said to his teammates after the disheartening 131-80 defeat to which Morant responded confidently.
"We will never play that bad again." (0:10)
The Grizzlies looked pretty out of rhythm in the Saturday night game. Morant - who registered only 17 points, three rebounds and four assists - produced numbers that weren't what anyone would have expected from a franchise star in a playoff game.
ever, Ja Morant was the only player - except Marvin Bagley - who scored in double digits. The rest of the Memphis squad could not even score in double digits and were outclassed by their opponents in their on-court matchups.