The Memphis Grizzlies have been playing improved basketball for the past month. Ever since a mid-march 3-game losing streak, this Memphis team has been one of the best squads in the conference.
During that stretch, the team has gone 10-6, beating a few impressive teams along the way. They’ve done this with strong play from Jonas Valanciunas and a handful of role players stepping up when they are needed.
The stretch has gotten the Grizzlies not just into the NBA Playoff conversation, but into a position where they could contend for an outright playoff spot. Previously, it was believed that this team had a ceiling that saw them competing in the play-in tournament, but things have changed quickly.
Jaren Jackson Jr.’s return will only allow this team to improve, so if they’re able to get into a strong position in the next couple of weeks, this team could be competing in the 2021 NBA Playoffs.
But Memphis Grizzlies PG Ja Morant hasn’t looked like himself in this stretch
The strange thing about this stretch of time though is that it hasn’t been the Grizzlies basketball that we’ve become accustomed to in the past couple of years. Usually, Ja Morant is the leader of this team. The team will live and die depending on how Morant plays. That’s been the case for a long time.
But in the past month, he hasn’t played up to his full capabilities. There haven’t been many games where he is outwardly bad but he has been, at the very least, extremely quiet. Oddly, it hasn’t affected the team much.
Memphis Grizzlies PG Ja Morant has been quiet in the Grizzlies winning stretch
As mentioned, Ja Morant hasn’t been stuffing the stat sheet during a stretch of basketball that has seen the Grizzlies play very well. There can be a lot said about how he has played, but in the end, he simply hasn’t been himself.
Right now, this isn’t something that’s affecting the Grizzlies. That said, if the team could play as well as they have been with Morant excelling, the sky could be the limit for this squad, even without Jaren Jackson Jr. around.
During this 16-game stretch, there has been a single common denominator: Jonas Valanciunas double-doubles. The Lithuanian center has been elite, and as a result, the Grizzlies haven’t necessarily needed Ja Morant to play perfect games in wins.
That said, Morant has had his fair share of superstar-level games in the past few weeks. In four instances, he scored over 25 points, reaching the 32-point mark in two of those performances. And in those games, he has looked like the best player on the court with no counterargument to prove otherwise.
But if you take out his 30+ point games, Morant has only averaged 15 points per game with 3.2 turnovers per contest. It’s not the worst slump in the world, but you’d like to see your star player hit his stride at this point in the season.
That said, Morant is a superstar and he will bounce back. Here’s what happens when he does.
Memphis Grizzlies PG Ja Morant’s bounce back will put the league on notice
With Jaren Jackson Jr. out and the Memphis Grizzlies overperforming, Grizzlies fans have had a handful of hypothetical thoughts. Things like “if they’re doing this without JJJ, imagine what they can do when he returns.”
This time, Ja Morant will be added to this.
The Grizzlies have been playing their best basketball of the year and Morant hasn’t been playing particularly well. In fact, he’s been playing some of the worst basketball since entering the NBA. That’s not to attack the way he’s been playing — just a statement of truth.
That said, Morant will bounce back from this. He’s the best player on this team and the key player in this franchise. He has shown glimpses of elite play and in the next few weeks, you can expect him to put it all together.
What also happens in the next few weeks? Oh yeah, it’s Jaren Jackson Jr.’s return to the court.
I know I already said it, but imagine this. A Grizzlies lineup with prime Jonas Valanciunas, whose double-double streak has reached 25 games, Jaren Jackson Jr. back in the lineup, and Ja Morant playing his best basketball of the year.
If those things all come together, who can stop this Grizzlies team? The long-term future is exciting for this team, but the near future could be even more exciting.