Billy Donovan Explains What Makes Ja Morant Challenging To Guard: “It’s Tough Because He’s So Athletic”

Billy Donovan has given his take on the challenge of stopping Ja Morant after the Bulls beat the Grizzlies last night.

3 Min Read

Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports

Ja Morant has put his recent controversies behind him and has been looking great since his return to the Memphis Grizzlies in the last 8 games.

The Grizzlies are 6-2 in this stretch, with the latest loss coming against Billy Donovan’s Chicago Bulls. The Bulls’ head coach explained the challenge of containing Morant after the win.

“Morant’s tough because he’s so athletic and he gets in the air, and now all of a sudden he starts throwing the ball to open players when your help’s kind of covering the rim. Our hand activity was really poor. And when you don’t have active hands and high hands – not so much reaching, slapping – but just active hands in the pick-and-roll, active hands. I thought our hand activity was so much better in the second half than it was in the first.”

Morant had a rough scoring night against the Bulls but got a triple-double to go with the 17 points he scored on the night. The Bulls’ offense ended up overwhelming the Grizzlies on the night, with DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine combining for 67 points.


Can Ja Morant Lead The Grizzlies To A Deep Playoff Run? 

The Grizzlies were play-in exits in 2020, first-round exits in 2021, and second-round exits in 2022. They’ll hope to continue their developmental plan with a conference finals appearance at the minimum this season. They are likely entering the playoffs as the second seed, so that is the natural expectation anyway. 

Ja Morant has averaged 21.5 points, 7.4 assists, and 4.9 rebounds since returning on just 28.4 minutes per game. He’s likely to ramp it up in the playoffs and start living up to the superstar potential everyone says he possesses. He’s given us plenty of flashes over the last few seasons, but leading his team to a deep playoff run will help him elevate his status in the game even further.

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Ishaan Bhattacharya is a content manager for Fadeaway World from New Delhi, India. With his expertise in NBA content creation, Ishaan brings a wealth of experience to his role, contributing to the site's authority and reach within the basketball community. Over the last year, Ishaan has interviewed Ray Allen and Mark Tatum, while also covering the 2023 NBA Abu Dhabi Games which saw the Dallas Mavericks take on the Minnesota Timberwolves.Since joining Fadeaway World in March 2022, Ishaan Bhattacharya has become known for his unique perspective on the NBA. He consistently delivers this insight through his daily news coverage and detailed opinion pieces on the most significant topics in the league.Before his tenure at Fadeaway World, Ishaan worked in corporate communications, where he serviced prominent sports brands, including NBA India, Sports18, Amazon Prime Sports, and Royal Challengers Bangalore. This experience in strategic communications for leading sports entities has enhanced his ability to craft impactful narratives and connect with a global audience.A true MFFLer (Mavs Fan for Life, for the uninitiated), Ishaan is a massive fan of the Dallas Mavericks. When he is not upset about Jalen Brunson walking in free agency, you can see Ishaan as an avid gamer and content creator. His passion for basketball extends beyond the Mavericks, as evidenced by his thoughtfully curated NBA Mount Rushmore, featuring LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Bill Russell—each representing distinct eras and bringing their unique qualities to the game.Featured On: ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher ReportYahoo Sports, NBA, Fox Sports, The Spun
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