Memphis Grizzlies: 3 players who can average career highs in 2021

Memphis Grizzlies Breakout Player No. 2: Ja Morant

After a strong finish to the 2020-21 season, it may seem strange to say that Ja Morant had a generally disappointing season. But if you look at the year as a whole, it’s true.

Morant’s scoring wasn’t where many fans expected it to be in his second season. After averaging 17.8 points per game as a rookie, he raised that number to 19.1 in his second season. Still, this was disappointing, as his field goal percentage dropped and the increase in points can be attributed to a higher volume of shots taken.

Thankfully, I actually watched the Grizzlies’ season, and as a result, I know that his year-total box score does not tell the entire story.

By the end of the season, Morant had proven that he took that step forward. He proved this by scoring 30.2 points per game in the 2021 NBA Playoffs, a new Grizzlies franchise record. His three-point shooting wasn’t anything to call home about but it was back to where it should be — mid to low thirties.

The problem last season was that Morant was unable to get into a “groove.” I know it’s not the tangible factor that most fans would like to see, but it’s the primary reason why he didn’t take a bigger step forward. The priority in 2021-22 should be getting Morant into the groove that we saw him in during the playoffs.

If this happens, his scoring should take a drastic jump forward as a scorer.