Ja Morant hit a buzzer-beater for the Grizzlies to lift his team to a win in his season debut after a 25-game suspension.
Ja Morant made his season debut on Tuesday night for the Memphis Grizzlies as he returned from a 25-game suspension for flashing a gun on social media. Morant and the Grizzlies faced the New Orleans Pelicans with a national TV audience on TNT waiting on the superstar point guard’s every move.
Morant delivered in the biggest way possible, hitting the game-winning shot at the buzzer as Memphis defeated the Pelicans, 115-113. The buzzer-beater capped an incredible return for Morant, that saw him finish with 34 points, eight assists, and six rebounds in the win.
Morant scored his game-winner by going one-on-one against arguably the NBA’s top perimeter defender in Herb Jones. Morant drove to the middle of the floor, hit Jones with a spin move going to his right, then elevated for a bucket that trickled through the net as the final buzzer sounded. Watch Morant’s buzzer-beater in his first game back from the suspension here:
JA MORANT GAME WINNER!!! pic.twitter.com/rzzFhEmZVf
— Gonzalo Vázquez (@GVazquezNY) December 20, 2023
Morant spoke to TNT right after hitting the game-winner:
“Basketball is my life, what I love, therapeutic for me, and I’m just excited to be back.”@StephanieReady caught up with Ja Morant after a buzzer-beating win for the Grizzlies in his return pic.twitter.com/eAPS6ASbj0
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) December 20, 2023
He screamed “I kept the receipts” as he ran off the floor into the tunnel.
“I kept receipts, too.” - Ja Morant pic.twitter.com/NksfPhsbrp
— Michael C. Wright (@mikecwright) December 20, 2023
It was a perfect ending for Morant, and perhaps the start of a major redemption arc. The Grizzlies have been one of the best teams in the NBA over the last two years, averaging 53.5 wins per year. Without Morant — and injured big men Steven Adams and Brandon Clarke —the Grizzlies have been one of the worst teams in the NBA to open the season, entering the game at 6-19 overall.
The NBA’s other suspended star, Draymond Green, immediately posted about Morant on social, and so did lots of other people:
Tough Ja!!
— Draymond Green (@Money23Green) December 20, 2023
Ja Morant for the win. Unbelievable. No words.
— Drew Hill (@DrewHill_DM) December 20, 2023
This guy is incredible. I can't wait for Thursday night.
Anyway I hope this time off leads to a great redemption. Because it’s easy to forget how incredible Ja is to watch
— Mike Prada. (PRAY-duh) (@MikePradaNBA) December 20, 2023
Now that they’re 1-0 with Morant, everyone will be wondering if Memphis can make a late rally to get into the play-in tournament. The Grizzlies are seven games back of the No. 10 seed Phoenix Suns (who are 14-12 overall) after the win. It will be a steep climb up the standings, but Memphis knows they have a chance as long as Morant is on the floor. You couldn’t script a better return to the court.
