Story by Gage Johnson
Sports Editor
Growing pains are inevitable for rookies coming into the NBA, and that was the case for former Murray State guard Ja Morant during a late comeback by the Chicago Bulls in the Memphis Grizzlies home opener.
An offensive showcase from Bulls guards Zach Lavine (37 points) and Coby White (25 points off the bench) ultimately disintegrated the Grizzlies’ hopes of grabbing a win in front of its fans to start the season, handing the Grizzlies a 110-102 loss.
This was Morant’s first action in front of Grizzlies fans and he came out of the gate aggressive.
Morant scored the first five points for Memphis, eventually totaling seven along with one assist to help the Grizzlies to a 29-25 lead going into the second quarter.
However, the Bulls made defensive adjustments against Morant. For instance, they made it harder for him to catch when playing off the ball. An array of double-teams in pick-and-roll situations also kept him from getting downhill with his speed.
This led to passing windows closing quicker and made it harder for him to find space for his shot. Morant ended the night with 10 points on 3-9, five assists, three steals, three rebounds and four turnovers.
It’s just the second game of Morant’s young NBA career and Memphis Head Coach Taylor Jenkins knows it’s going to be a learning process for the 2019 No. 2 draft pick throughout the early stages of the season.
“Keep teaching, keep growing,” Jenkins said. “[We have to] show him all the coverages he’s getting, see where he’s attacking and what reads he has to make; just show him and guide him.”
Morant showed his passion and competitiveness in the locker room as he was clearly frustrated postgame, telling media members he had to get better in all facets of his game going forward.
Forward Jaren Jackson Jr., who’s in his second season in the NBA and led the Grizzlies with 23 points and 11 rebounds, said he was in the same situation last year and knows Morant just has to take it game by game.
“I already know it’s going through his head because he’s a competitor,” Jackson Jr. said. “I just try to tell him [to] move on. You have to because it’s a long season, but I know how he feels because I was the same guy who was like ‘dang, I really want to win really bad.’”
Despite the struggles Morant faced, he also had multiple bright spots. If it wasn’t for his hot start to the game the Bulls wouldn’t have made such drastic defensive adjustments.
On top of that, the young point guard was still able to create for his teammates on multiple occasions, was able to snag three steals and almost posterized a defender for the second game in a row.
Amazing photo from @joerondone of Ja Morant's dunk attempt on Wendell Carter Jr. in the fourth quarter of tonight's game. Looks like there was plenty of contact. No whistle. pic.twitter.com/2TrD03q3PZ
— David Cobb (@DavidWCobb) October 26, 2019
Grizzlies center Jonas Valanciunas had a double-double (10 points and 13 rebounds) in 18 minutes of action due to a minutes restriction regarding a sore foot.
Valanciunas spent the first seven years of his NBA career with the Toronto Raptors and played with five-time NBA All-Star point guard Kyle Lowry and he said Morant can grow into something special.
“That quickness he has and the game understanding he has is something else,” Valanciunas said. “He’s young, working hard, and has the talent. He has all the tools he needs.”
This was the second-straight game that the Grizzlies couldn’t come away with a win because of a late comeback, being outscored 37-17 in the fourth quarter en route to a 120-101 loss to the Miami Heat in their season opener.
Valanciunas said the team is working in the right direction, but just has to translate their early success through all 48 minutes of the game.
“We controlled the game for the first half,” Valanciunas said. “We got to keep doing that. We kind of break down in the fourth quarter. We know what we need to do and what we need to get better at.”
Racer fans can catch Morant and company in the Grizzlies matchup with Kyrie Irving and the Brooklyn Nets at 5 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 27, at the FedexForum.
