Watch: Ja Morant gets the anticipated iconic dunk over Victor Wembanyama
Ja Morant’s first game against Victor Wembanyama had most basketball fans excited to watch the game between the San Antonio Spurs and Memphis Grizzlies. The point guard is arguably the NBA’s most aggressive rim attacker. He will surely collide with the 7-foot-4 rookie who leads the league in block shots.
In the first play of the game, Morant promptly went at “Wemby.” The Frenchman, however, incredibly stayed with “G12” and swatted away his layup. Morant had his first taste of what the rookie could do on the defensive end.
The block early in the first quarter may have only challenged Ja Morant. He may have just been biding his time as the game moved on. With about nine minutes left in the fourth quarter, he finally got his chance and pounced on it:
Morant’s crossover threw off Victor Wembanyama. The brief opening was the only thing the two-time All-Star needed. Once he got the advantage, he didn’t hesitate to go up and slam the ball. The Memphis Grizzlies crowd, who had been waiting for that moment, wildly celebrated.
Ja Morant and Victor Wembanyama led their respective teams in Tuesday’s encounter
The Memphis Grizzlies are cruising to a victory behind Ja Morant’s 22 points, 10 assists, five rebounds and one steal. With 3:07 left in the game, they hold a 100-84 lead. It’s looking like the Grizzlies will improve their record to 11-22.
Desmond Bane has also played well in support of Morant. He has 24 points on 11-17 shooting to go with three rebounds and two assists.
The San Antonio Spurs got another superb effort and output from Victor Wembanyama. “Wemby” has 18 points, seven rebounds, four blocks and one assist. Morant may have been the darling of the crowd, but Wembanyama had the fans shaking their heads with some of the rookie’s plays.
Keldon Johnson continues to play well off the bench for the Spurs. He has 19 points, six rebounds and four assists. San Antonio, however, couldn't get the others to step up. The Spurs are headed to a new three-game losing streak and will drop to 5-28 for the season.
The Spurs and the Grizzlies will meet two more times in the regular season. They will face each other on Mar. 22 and Apr. 9. Fans will be waiting for another highlight-filled battle between Wembanyama and Morant during the said dates.