Absent from Game 2 due to his right hand injury contracted in Game 1, Ja Morant was back for this Game 3 in Los Angeles. The Grizzlies playmaker did not miss his appointment, but his performance was somewhat drowned out by the dominance of the Lakers, who hit hard from the first minutes.
Nevertheless, with 45 points (13/26 to shoot, 6/10 to 3-pts), 13 assists and 9 rebounds, Ja Morant had a very big game. “I never lack confidence”, he throws at ESPN. “As soon as I have the green light, I always have confidence. »
What we especially remember from this performance are obviously his 22 points in a row in the last quarter, to try for a comeback. In the history of the NBA, only two players had scored at least 22 points in a row in a playoff game and these are very prestigious precedents.
Ja Morant equals Kobe Bryant and LeBron James
It was LeBron James in 2007, in the mythical Game 5 of the conference final in Detroit, where the “King” had scored the last 25 points for his team. Then Kobe Bryant, three years later, in the 2010 Finals against the Celtics, with his immense heat stroke in Game 5, in Boston.
“That boy is good. Really good “, commented LeBron James. “He is so good at attacking the circle that you have to put several defenders in front of him, to force him to play in the perimeter. There he put six award-winning baskets. He’s a player who can do whatever he wants in attack! »
If the Grizzlies were largely dominated, his performance is nevertheless reassuring for the rest of the series.
Hit in the right hand, the one with which he shoots – he also wore a black bandage on it – Ja Morant was able to train on Friday, before playing again on Saturday. Obviously, the concern does not prevent it from shining.
“After the shootaround on Saturday morning, I tested myself a bit”, tells the All-Star. “During the shootaround, I was a bit hesitant. Then after a while, with the process I went through, I started to gain a little more confidence to play again. I know once on the pitch the adrenaline kicks in and that’s how the pain fades. »
| Ja Morant | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Crew | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 2019-20 | SAME | 67 | 31 | 47.7 | 33.5 | 77.6 | 0.8 | 3.1 | 3.9 | 7.3 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 3.3 | 0.3 | 17.8 |
| 2020-21 | SAME | 63 | 33 | 44.9 | 30.3 | 72.8 | 0.9 | 3.1 | 4.0 | 7.4 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 3.2 | 0.2 | 19.1 |
| 2021-22 | SAME | 57 | 33 | 49.3 | 34.4 | 76.1 | 1.4 | 4.4 | 5.7 | 6.7 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 3.4 | 0.4 | 27.4 |
| 2022-23 | SAME | 61 | 32 | 46.6 | 30.7 | 74.8 | 1.0 | 4.9 | 5.9 | 8.1 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 3.4 | 0.3 | 26.2 |
| Total | 248 | 32 | 47.2 | 32.1 | 75.3 | 1.0 | 3.8 | 4.8 | 7.4 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 3.3 | 0.3 | 22.4 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots made / Shots attempted; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def= defensive rebound; Tot = Total bounces; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost bullets; Ct: Counters; Points = Points.
