Ja Morant On His Mid-Game Taunts To LeBron James And Why He Dislikes The Los Angeles Lakers

Ja Morant got real on his reason for disliking the Los Angeles Lakers after the Memphis Grizzlies defeated them 131-114.

4 Min Read

Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

The Memphis Grizzlies pulled off a much-needed 131-114 win over the Los Angeles Lakers, improving their record to 5-5 and helping them climb to the No. 9 seed by relegating the Lakers to No. 10 right now. Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant opened up on the matchup and shared the reason behind his dislike for the Lakers in his post-game interview.

“I don’t like ’em. They knocked me out of the playoffs and then last year, we had a game and they came in here and beat us on our home floor when I was in street clothes. I wasn’t tonight… I didn’t get to play last year, they were laughing, playing, looking at me, and talking. I was in street clothes, this was my first opportunity to play against them.”

Morant also elaborated on his taunt exchange with LeBron James, which saw both the guard and the Lakers forward hit ‘too small’ taunts during the game.

“I think I did the too small to somebody and then he came back and did it respectfully. He’s 6’8″, I would’ve expected it, though I thought that was a charge. He did it and I don’t back down from nobody, don’t care who you are. My job was to just come back and I got my bucket. Just set the tone for my teammates, they fed off it, and you see the results. Top dawg in our league. You take out the top dawg, who else you fear? I don’t fear nobody anyway.”

Morant put up 20 points (7-17 FG), four rebounds, and five assists in this clash. He didn’t have a stellar outing but he did enough to motivate his teammates into performing at the highest level. 

The Grizzlies had two more players score 20 points alongside Morant with Jaren Jackson Jr. (8-13 FG), and rookie Jaylen Wells (7-10 FG) reaching the mark. Four Grizzlies scored over 10 points, with Jake LaRavia (13 PTS, 8 AST), Santi Aldama (11 PTS, 12 REB), Scotty Pippen Jr (14 PTS), and Jay Huff (11 PTS) going off as well.

LeBron outplayed Morant individually with his 39 points, seven rebounds, and six assists, but had to take the loss home to LA with him. Despite the tense moments on the court, LeBron expressed positivity towards Morant for his contributions to the league right now.

“The energy alone, the inspiration that he gives to the younger generation alone was huge for our league and it’s great to have him back out there for sure.”

The Lakers will host the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday as the first of a three-game homestand after going 1-4 in their latest road trip. The Grizzlies will host the Washington Wizards on Friday before going on a three-game road trip that includes a rematch against the Lakers on November 13.

Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We really appreciate your support. 

Newsletter

Stay up to date with our newsletter on the latest news, trends, ranking lists, and evergreen articles

Follow on Google News

Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We appreciate your support.

Share This Article
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
Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *