The Grizzlies needed a furious 24-point rally to even have a chance at a game-winner on Tuesday night against the Pelicans. But after managing to even things up at 113–113, Memphis had the ball with 9.6 seconds remaining, and Ja Morant, who had fueled the comeback, was understandably cramping and tired after not playing an NBA game in eight months.
But when Morant suggested a post-up for teammate Jaren Jackson Jr. on the final play, Grizzlies teammate Desmond Bane was quick to shut that down with a NSFW response, as Morant told ESPN’s Tim MacMahon.
"He told me, 'F--- no, you get the ball,'" Morant said after the Grizzlies' 115–113 win Tuesday night. "So at that point, I pretty much just had to lock in and go deliver. And I did."
The rest, as they say, was history.
JA MORANT WINS IT AT THE BUZZER 🤯 pic.twitter.com/Tu2MAComDY
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) December 20, 2023
While Jackson had a great game up to that point, it’s hard to deny that getting the ball into the hands of Morant was the right play there. Ultimately, it paid dividends as it gave the Grizzlies a much-needed victory and injected new life into a team that’s struggled to start the year without its star.
