SALT LAKE CITY (AP) 鈥� Ja Morant鈥檚 ability to take over a game hasn鈥檛 diminished.
Morant didn鈥檛 miss a beat in leading the Memphis Grizzlies to a over the on Wednesday night. The two-time NBA all-star finished with 22 points on 7-of-12 shooting, 10 assists and five rebounds in only 28 minutes. It was the 24th game of his career where he had at least 20 points, 10 assists and five rebounds.
鈥淢y job as a point guard is to control the game,鈥� Morant said. 鈥淚 hate if I let the other team鈥檚 point guard control the game. Whatever I can do to make sure it鈥檚 in our favor, I try to do.鈥�
His performance comes on the heels of a 2023-24 season marred by controversy and injury. The for the first 25 games for flashing a gun on his friend鈥檚 Instagram account. Then, after appearing in just nine games, Morant suffered .
The long rehabilitation process he went through following shoulder surgery made Morant appreciate how much basketball meant to him while it was gone. Once he was cleared for full basketball activities again in mid-July, he looked forward to stepping back out on the court on Wednesday.
The moment was everything he expected and wanted.
鈥淚 was just excited to be back out there,鈥� Morant said. 鈥淭hese guys trust and believe in me every time I鈥檓 out there on the floor, so it鈥檚 only right I go out there and play free.鈥�
Morant鈥檚 activity on both ends of the floor helped the Grizzlies weather a fourth-quarter rally from the Jazz. He came up with timely baskets or assists whenever Memphis needed an answer. Defensively, he worked to be disruptive and keep the Jazz from permanently seizing momentum down the stretch.
Morant made every minute he was on the floor count.
鈥淗e only played 28 minutes tonight,鈥� Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said. 鈥淏ut those were hard-playing 28 minutes.鈥�
Morant鈥檚 goal is to be even more productive and efficient as he gets continued reps. It鈥檚 an extension of the work he put in over the summer to improve his game and heighten his impact on the floor.
鈥淭hat was the biggest takeaway from this summer is the investment in his body, knowing we鈥檙e going to continue to push him even more than we鈥檝e done in the past,鈥� Jenkins said. 鈥淗e responded in game one. We鈥檙e going to need it for many, many more games moving forward.鈥�
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AP NBA:
John Coon, The Associated Press
