LeBron James had kind words for Ja Morant after the Lakers’ loss to the Grizzlies, despite Morant getting physical with him during the game.
LeBron James spoke after the Lakers’ 131-114 loss to the Grizzlies about his battle with Ja Morant. James had nothing but positive things to say about Morant, touting his competitiveness and ability to inspire the younger generation. He then drew parallels between his and Morant’s upbringing, and called their duel ‘the essence of the game’.
“The inspiration he gives to the younger generation alone was huge for our league. It’s great to have him back out there for sure… Two guys from the inner city that love to compete. We all grew up playing outside, competing at a high level when there were no cameras around, it was just a bunch of sh*t talking and playing the game. That’s what the essence of the game is all about.”
James and Morant had a heated battle tonight, with both players going back and forth with each other on the court, trying to best the other. One particular sequence shows just how chippy things got, as both players taunted each other with the ‘too small’ gesture, and Morant even intentionally barged into James when the ball was out of play.
Fun last couple of possessions between Ja Morant and LeBron James
Ja scores and calls Gabe Vincent too small
Next possession LeBron scores on Ja and calls HIM too small
Ja then scores again and bumps LeBron, gets a technical.
LeBron gets a stop right before the half pic.twitter.com/fIVKy4vKQd— Avery Braxton (@Brax_Avery) November 7, 2024
Despite Morant’s unsportsmanlike conduct with the intentional bump, James spoke positively about the former All-Star. It is clear that James isn’t holding on to any animosity from this game’s events, but the same cannot be said for Morant, who spoke after the game about his disdain for the Los Angeles Lakers.
LeBron James turned back the clock and put on a vintage performance, with 9 points, seven rebounds, six assists, and one steal, shooting 15-24 from the field, 6-11 from the three-point line, and 3-4 from the free-throw line. It was an outstanding performance from the King.
Morant had a decent game, scoring 20 points, along with four rebounds, five assists, one steal, and one block. His five turnovers and 7-17 shooting from the field were not glaring positives, Morant did go 2-3 from the three-point line and 4-5 from the three-point line. Morant will be happy that he and the Grizzlies got the win.
Ja Morant Ready To Make A Comeback
This season is crucial for Ja Morant. After a difficult few years filled with controversies off the court and injuries on the court, Morant is out to prove to the rest of the league that he is one of the best players in the NBA and should be in the conversation for the face of the league.
Morant landed himself in hot water during the 2022-23 NBA season, when he was spotted on multiple occasions brandishing a gun on Instagram Live, for which he was punished twice. After that, he underwent season-ending shoulder surgery in December 2023, which kept him away from the league till the start of this season.
Ja Morant has returned strongly so far, averaging 20.6 points, 9.1 assists, 5.0 rebounds, 0.6 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game. He is shooting 44.8% from the field, and 25.2% from the three-point line, which suggests he needs to work off some of the rust but has made a promising start.
With Morant performing at a high level and looking to improve, the Grizzlies could be one of the better teams in the Western Conference. The franchise is looking to return to the playoffs after a difficult season last year where they missed out. And Morant will be the key to any playoff push they make.