Memphis Grizzlies superstar Ja Morant made his highly anticipated return to the lineup on April 9 in the penultimate game of the 2021-22 regular season.
The last time fans saw Morant suit up for the Grizzlies was on March 18 in Atlanta. Morant injured his knee in the final minutes of the game and had been recovering ever since.
Memphis went 7-2 while Morant was out, more than holding their own against some playoff teams including Brooklyn, Phoenix, and Milwaukee.
How did Memphis Grizzlies superstar Ja Morant look in his first game back?
Morant played 27 minutes in his return, finishing with 21 points, 9 assists, and 4 rebounds against the Pelicans. He was 7 of 14 from the field, including 2 of 3 from beyond the arc.
Here’s how Morant shot the ball by quarter:
- Q1: 1/5 (20%)
- Q2: 1/3 (33%)
- Q3: 3/4 (75%)
- Q4: 2/2 (100%)
Morant started a little rusty but quickly got his rhythm back by halftime, helping propel the Grizzlies to an insane 55-point third quarter.
That’s more points in a quarter than any NBA team since 1955, according to Grizzlies PR. Memphis was just three points shy of breaking the NBA’s all-time record for most points in a quarter.
Ja Morant finally got some court time with his fellow starters Desmond Bane, Dillon Brooks, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Steven Adams. Before the game against New Orleans, the starters had only played 96 minutes together.
Head Coach Taylor Jenkins used an effective lineup in the fourth quarter with Morant playing alongside an all-bench lineup of Tyus Jones, De’Anthony Melton, Branon Clarke, and Kyle Anderson.
.@JaMorant with the volleyball spike 🥷 pic.twitter.com/Ae2Kqq0cB5
— Bally Sports: Grizzlies (@GrizzOnBally) April 10, 2022
Morant had some impressive sequences during the game and never showed any signs of pain or discomfort. The only way you would have known Morant is easing his way back into form was the fact that he had an ice or heat pack on his knee wrapped with a bandage while he was resting on the bench.
The Grizzlies ended up cruising to a 141-114 win and will play their regular-season finale on April 10 vs Boston at FedEx Forum.