With a 122–99 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday inside FedExForum, the Memphis Grizzlies completed their four-game homestand on a high note.
The Grizzlies showed a lot of grit and perseverance against Milwaukee after a lackluster showing against the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night.
Ja Morant delivered an electrifying performance by unleashing his trademark WTF-inducing plays.
JA MORANT WAS A WALKING HIGHLIGHT TONIGHT 🤯
— NBA (@NBA) November 1, 2024
26 PTS
14 AST (several were ridiculous)
10 REB
His 12th-career triple-double in the @memgrizz W 👏 pic.twitter.com/w4mVbiQiNF
The Murray State standout reaffirmed his superstar status as he put on a masterclass against the Bucks with 26 points, 14 assists, and 10 rebounds. He messed around and got his 12 career triple-double and, like Ice Cube, I can hear him say, “Today was a good day.”
With his 20+ points, 8+ rebounds, and 9+ assists stats at halftime, Morant joined just five other players since the 1996–97 season. Over the course of the team’s back-to-back games, Morant racked up 40 points, 18 boards, and 25 assists. This season, Morant has played in five games and recorded four double-doubles.
“Just staying aggressive, playing free, being Ja [Morant],” stated the two-time All-Star on his playmaking as the Grizzlies improved to 3-3 on the season.
“Nah, I play free — with me, you’re going to deal with turnovers,” Morant said on taking care of the ball. “I tried to throw a lob off the glass — if Zach [Edey] catches it, it’s not a turnover. Even if it is, I don’t care. It’s the right play. Me and him do it in practice all the time. I’m just going to play free and always try to make the right play.”
He continued, “Me and him do it at practice and in 5-on-0. So yeah, I’m just going to play free. I’m always trying to make the right play. It’s not like I’m going down trying to turn the ball over. So, some of them, you just have to deal with. Obviously, you can clean some of them up, but hey, a lot of stuff comes with Ja.”
Regarding the team’s priorities in terms of player rotation and the significance of keeping him or Jaren Jackson Jr. on the court throughout the game, Morant explained, “I feel like those guys look up to us, and we’re pretty much the engine to the team.
“So, seeing one of us out there on the floor is a good thing, but I don’t think they lack confidence if we’re not. Obviously, we want to instill confidence no matter what and play the same way no matter who’s out there on the floor. Tonight, we had that — one of us on the floor, and I guess it worked.”
Yes, it did work! For Morant, statistics, honors, and recognition mean nothing until they lead to wins for his team.
Key Takeaways:
- Dominant Rebounding: Memphis outrebounded Milwaukee 56-38, with a 49-29 defensive glass advantage.
- Decisive Run: 19-1 run in the first quarter, including 14 straight points.
- Series Dominance: Memphis wins sixth straight against Bucks, averaging 20.8-point margin.
- Historic Streak: Longest winning streak in head-to-head series for Memphis.
- Bucks’ Struggles: Milwaukee loses fourth straight, finishes 0-3 road trip.
- Defensive Milestone: Memphis holds opponent under 100 points for first time this season.
- Balanced Offense: All five Memphis starters score in double figures, combining for 84 points.
- First Career Start: Rookie Jaylen Wells finished with 16 points and grabbed seven boards in his. Plus played dogged defense on Damian Lillard.
Up Next:
Kicking off a two-game road trip, the Memphis Grizzlies will face the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center on Saturday, November 2nd, at 6:30 p.m. CT.
