The Los Angeles Lakers and LeBron James have been issued an NBA Play-Off warning after Ja Morant shone with 45 points despite the Memphis Grizzlies falling to a 111-101 Game Three defeat.
Morant’s return to the starting line-up was confirmed by the Grizzlies an hour before play got underway, having missed a game due to a bruised right hand. The 23-year-old put up the impressive points haul, as well as recording nine rebounds and 13 assists.
In the fourth quarter alone, Morant scored 22 straight points but the Grizzlies’ comeback attempt ultimately fell short. According to ESPN, only two other players have scored at least 22 straight points for their team in a Play-Off game: James with 25 in 2007 and Kobe Bryant with 23 in 2010.
Nonetheless, sports commentator Skip Bayless has issued the Lakers and NBA icon James a Morant warning, allowing the point-guard to regain rhythm ahead of Game Four. “Nice revenge win for the Lakers,” Bayless said on Twitter after the Lakers bounced back from the Game Two loss.
“Only problem was, they let Ja regain his rhythm and wind up with 45. It feels like a moral loss for Memphis - they hung in and take late-game momentum into Monday night.”
James himself recognised Morant’s talent, talking his NBA rival up after the game. “That boy's good," James said. "I mean, he's good. He's so good at attacking the rim that you want to try to keep bodies in front of him, make him try to work on the perimeter.
“Well, tonight he made six 3's. That's a guy that gets going on the outside and he can do whatever he wants offensively."
The Grizzlies now trail the Lakers 2-1 in the Play-Off series, and the two NBA franchises are set to meet again on Tuesday, April 25. The Lakers hold home court advantage for the game, but the Grizzlies will take confidence from Morant’s post-match belief.
“I never lacked the confidence," two-time All-Star Morant said. "Once it was a go, I'm always confident."
