After missing about three weeks of action due to a sprained left knee, Ja Morant made a return to the streaking Memphis Grizzlies but could not help them secure another victory.
With Morant, the Grizzlies went 10-2 in a 12-game stretch, and things were supposed to get better with the return of the high-flying guard. Unfortunately, they lost to the 9-19 Oklahoma City Thunder.
Exactly 18 days ago, they set an NBA record for highest win margin against that same team with a 152-79 victory. Suffice to say, the fans expected another dominating performance from the team and were disappointed when it was not looking like a blowout game.
The fans always search for someone to blame, someone to pour out their frustrations on, and they chose Morant. They trolled the guard as the game progressed, and he was not happy about it.
Speaking postgame, Ja said the fans were demanding he goes to the bench and leave the others who have been winning games to play.
(From 1:25)
“It’s frustrating for me, watching this team while I was out and the type of basketball they were playing. We beat this team by 73, and then we lose the day I come back against this team. It’s frustrating. I was already in my head coming back out and trusting my knee after missing 12 games. Basketball is my escape, I feel at my best when I play. So, it’s really frustrating.”
“Even during the game, I was running down the court and I heard some of my fans courtside tell me I need to sit back out. So, I just don’t understand what they wanted to get out of that. I feel like that just makes it worse.”
“It’s a lot, man. I’m excited to be back and I’m thankful for my teammates because they have tried to keep my spirits up and tell me not to worry about what people say. But, it’s hard not to see that stuff. I mean, it’s easy when I see it, but when I’m running down the court midgame and hear it from the people that were chanting ‘M-V-P’ a while ago, it’s frustrating.”
Ja has been the array of hope for the Grizzlies since he was picked in the draft. Last season, he led the team to a victory over Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors to secure a playoff berth for the first time since the 2016-17 season.
It is sad to see fans troll their superstar in that manner, especially following a return from an injury. Nonetheless, Morant says he has shaken it off and will be ready to go for the next game. He is averaging 23.7 points, 5.6 rebounds, 6.9 assists, and 1.6 steals in 20 games played.
