A new rivalry is budding before our very eyes. In the Western Conference, the Grizzlies and Warriors are fighting for their playoffs lives, and their two point guards are spearheading the charge.
After Steph Curry dropped 24 points in a win over Memphis on Sunday, Morant responded with a 47-point performance in the Game 2 victory.
After the match, he spoke candidly about his face-off against Curry, refusing to back down against the 2x MVP.
“I was able to return that message … saying the same thing,” Morant said via the Associated Press. “I always say, this is my favorite matchup playing against a guy like him, a great talent. Yeah, it’s going to be a battle.”
Ja Morant was more than happy to deliver this message to Steph 😅 pic.twitter.com/B4EFLCDLu7
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 4, 2022
Morant doesn’t have nearly the same resume Curry does. In fact, as a 3x Champion, 2x MVP, and 8x All-Star, Steph has cemented himself as one of the best point guards in league history.
While Ja isn’t quite at that level yet, it’s clear he is next in line to take over the NBA. Through 57 games in the regular season, he averaged 27.4 points, 6.7 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per game on 49.3% shooting.
In the playoffs, he has stepped up his game to a whole new level. In Tuesday’s win, he scored 47 points, including 15 in the final minutes — meaning that he singlehandedly outscored the Warriors as a team in the clutch.
What separates stars from superstars is the ability to put their team on their back during clutch situations in the playoffs, and in this performance, Ja showed that he has that in spades.
Morant scored 15 points when it mattered most, actually outscoring the entire Golden State Warriors team in the clutch to lead his team to victory. Ja had 15 points, while the Warriors only managed 12, giving the Grizz the margin they needed to secure the dub.
The Grizzlies still have a lot to prove. With a very limited track record of success in the playoffs and the current series tied at 1-1, people still favor Golden State to move on to the Conference Finals.
But with Morant playing like an MVP, the Grizzlies cannot be counted out in the title race.
The series resumes in Golden State on Saturday, when Curry and company will try their best to re-take the lead.
