Grizzlies Star Ja Morant Cites Off-Court Issues for Season Struggles
Memphis Grizzlies’ point guard Ja Morant has cited off-court issues for his challenges this season after a blowout loss to the Los Angeles Lakers (Fox News). Despite these struggles, Morant had a commendable performance in the 2023 NBA Playoffs, even though the Grizzlies were eliminated in the first round (Sporting News).
Morant’s performance during the playoff exit included 10 points, five rebounds, six assists, and three steals in 34 minutes (CBS Sports). This came after the Grizzlies star had to deal with backlash over his earlier comment, “I’m fine in the West,” which resurfaced after the Lakers’ victory (Sportskeeda). Morant remained unfazed and accepted that he would have to deal with the consequences of his previous remarks (Sportskeeda).
Looking forward, the Grizzlies are faced with the question of whether they have the right core around Morant to win it all (Sporting News). During the late-season, one of the major issues for the Grizzlies was bad luck, while the other correctable issue was within their control (The Athletic).
Morant’s hand injury, for example, did not prevent him from attacking the basket aggressively against the Lakers (Basketball Network). Various commentators and analysts, such as Kendrick Perkins and Shannon Sharpe, have discussed Morant’s “fine in the West” comment, as well as his and the Grizzlies’ ongoing struggles (The SportsRush).
While Morant’s off-court issues and hand injury have certainly made an impact on his performance this season, the determination to overcome these challenges speaks to his character as a player. With corrective measures taken for the controllable issues and a potentially restructured core around Morant, the Grizzlies may well emerge as stronger contenders in future seasons.
