Ja Morant showed the world why he is one of the best players in the NBA in their victory over the Dallas Mavericks in the play-in tournament. Heading into the game, Morant was listed as questionable with an ankle sprain suffered in the Grizzlies' first play-in game against the Golden State Warriors.
He returned to that game after spraining his ankle in the third quarter, but was noticeably not in his regular form. After leading the Grizzlies with 18 points and a comeback from down 20 points to a one-point deficit, Morant only scored four points the remainder of the game when he returned in the fourth quarter in their five-point loss.
However, with their season on the brink of elimination against the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night, Ja Morant delivered a gritty performance that sparked his team and gave the fanbase a return trip to the playoffs after a one-year hiatus.
"I couldn't feel it, that's why I was out there" - Ja Morant
Ja Morant gave a classic answer when ESPN's Scott Van Pelt asked Ja Morant about how his ankle was feeling following his performance. Morant scored 12 points in the first quarter, including a high-arching putback dunk as he led the Grizzlies to a 39-24 lead at the end of the first quarter.
His energy in the opening period sparked a wire-to-wire victory as he scored 22 points and contributed nine assists. The performance was something the home crowd hadn't seen since Game 5 of their first-round series loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2023.
His ability to navigate the defense and get the crowd into the game early left the Dallas Mavericks for dead, despite a 40-point performance from Anthony Davis. Injuries have limited Morant's last two seasons after missing the last 47 games last season with a torn labrum. He also only played 50 games this season due to a myriad of injuries, including a shoulder, hip, and hamstring issues.
The ankle sprain presented another hurdle in Morant's way, but he knew his team needed him and gutted it out so the team got a chance to fight for another day. Next up is the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder, a team the Grizzlies have lost nine straight games to.
Of those nine games, Morant has only been available for three, including two of their four losses to the Thunder this season. Morant has had some memorable playoff moments in his six seasons and will need to deliver again if the Grizzlies want to have any shot at upsetting the NBA's best team.