With 1:22 remaining in the 101-109 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Ja Morant was ejected from the game after having a heated conversation with referee Karl Lane. After the ejection, Morant continued talking with Lane before heading to the bench and then the tunnel. Dillon Brooks had been ejected just minutes before after receiving his second technical foul.
Ja Morant took to Instagram after the game. He wrote “too much power, you get ejected nowadays for telling a m*****f***** , da same thing they told you, just sassy.” His reaction was posted via his story with a picture of the incident. The All-NBA point guard is rarely one to discuss officials post-game but is no stranger to communicating his thoughts on social media.
It was hard to tell exactly what was said between Morant and the official. However, Ja Morant had not received a technical prior to, so whatever was said required an immediate ejection from the game.
Ja Morant’s ejection was fatal for the Memphis Grizzlies
The two ejections capped off a frustrating night for the Memphis Grizzlies. The team turned the ball over 24 times and many were unforced. The Grizzlies also struggled from the line where they missed 12 free throws.
Ja Morant finished with 24 points, five rebounds, and six assists to go along with seven turnovers. With all the mistakes made, the Grizzlies somehow found a way to make this a competitive game down to the end.
Looking ahead, Desmond Bane can’t come back soon enough to a half-court offense struggling against non-elite defenses. The former TCU Horned frog was seen working out before Sunday’s matchup against the Knicks in Madison Square Garden. No return has been set yet, but many Grizzlies fans hope it’s not far off. The sharpshooting guard has been out of action since November 11th.
The next game is at FedExForum at 7:00 against the Philadelphia 76ers on Bally Sports Southeast.