Report Card: Ja Morant’s incredible 2nd half propels Grizzlies past Lakers

The Grizzlies continued their Post-All star break campaign with a rematch with the Los Angeles Lakers. Looking to avenge the one-point loss in LA last month, the Grizzlies got a chance to face them at home. They would have to do so without Steven Adams, while the Lakers would be without All-time scoring leader Lebron James and the newly acquired D’Angelo Russell.

The game started out with some very sloppy offense from both teams, and both teams shot below 40% from the floor in the first half. After leading by four at the end of one, the Grizzlies missed 12 straight shots and allowed the Lakers to regain the lead. The only players immune from the poor first-half shooting were Desmond Bane and Austin Reaves, who were a combined 9-12. At the end of the half, the Lakers held a 3-point lead.

The 3rd quarter was a back-and-forth affair, but it was Ja Morant who stole the show. Morant had 28 points in the third quarter, the most in a single quarter this NBA season, and his incredible play put the Grizzlies back in front. The fourth quarter has been a struggle for Memphis all season, and the Grizzlies allowed the Lakers to get back into the game like many other games during this tough stretch. But, Morant, Xavier Tillman, and Jaren Jackson Jr. shined down the stretch, giving the Grizzlies a 121-109 win.

Now it’s time for the Grades:

Ja Morant – A+: 39 Points, 15-29 FG, 10 Assists, 10 Rebounds, 2 Steals +14

Morant’s performance tonight was incredible to watch, resulting in a nearly 40-point triple-double. After a rough first half where he struggled and missed many uncharacteristic shots, Morant was unconsciously good in the third quarter. He produced the highest-scoring quarter of his career and of any player this season; the Grizzlies needed every single bucket to beat a scrappy Lakers team. During that stretch, it felt like Ja decided he would not let the Grizzlies lose.

Possibly the best part of his performance was that he did much more on top of his scoring. Morant made great, high-IQ passes all game, finished with 10 assists, and steadied the Grizzlies’ struggling offense. The 6’2” PG was also the Grizzlies’ 2nd leading rebounder, a category that has been a negative for the Grizzlies without Steven Adams. He also had active hands on defense with 2 steals, part of the Grizzlies’ 26 forced turnovers in the game. It might have been the best individual performance of the season for Morant, who had his first 30-point triple-double of the season.

Xavier Tillman – A: 18 Points, 9-17 FG, 11 Rebounds, 2 Steals, 2 Assists, 1 Block

Xavier Tillman had his best game of the season, beating out his performance in the previous game against the Nuggets. For the third game in a row, Tillman got matched up against one of the best interior players in the NBA and responded well. Tillman was given the Anthony Davis assignment and did a solid job against Davis despite his 28 points. He forced Davis into some tough jumpers, especially in the first half, and did not allow Davis to score much in one on one situations. Offensively, Tillman kept the defense honest by putting up 17 shots in his opportunities to be aggressive. He made nine of his attempts and scored 10 points in the 4th quarter, including a couple of buckets in the clutch. 

Jaren Jackson Jr. – B+: 16 Points, 7-14 FG, 7 Rebounds, 4 Blocks

In the first half, Jackson looked out of sorts offensively, and he was visibly upset at some of the calls being made. Instead of letting this affect his performance for the rest of the game, Jaren responded by scoring 14 of his 16 points in the 2nd half. The best stretch of the game for Jackson came in the 4th quarter, when he got a putback dunk over Davis and then blocked him on the other end. 

It was a big sign of growth for Jackson to show resiliency after a tough start on offense while continuing to stay locked in on defense. He had 4 blocks, including two huge ones in the fourth quarter that helped build momentum down the stretch. It also showed as the Grizzlies had a great game on defense overall, which always starts with Jackson’s play on the interior.

Defense and Paint Scoring: A+

Defensive intensity and inside scoring are the cornerstones of Grizzlies basketball, and its the reason they got a win against the Lakers. Defensively, the Grizzlies had 13 steals and 6 blocks, while forcing the Lakers into 26 turnovers. Those turnovers turned into 41 points for the Grizzlies, who only had 7 turnovers of their own. The Grizzlies aren’t a great shooting team, so it is imperative that they beat teams inside. That was certainly the case against Los Angeles as they won the paint battle 86-48, a lot of those coming from Morant, Jackson, Tillman, and Bane

Overall Grade: A

The Grizzlies seem to be turning a corner after a tough stretch of games that started with a one-point loss to the Lakers in January. They have won five of their last seven games and have now won 4 straight games against Western Conference opponents. There is a big road trip coming up with games against the Rockets, Nuggets, Clippers, and a rematch with the Lakers, so it is good to see their improvement. Many of the struggles have been to 2nd half (specifically 4th quarter) collapses, but tonight they flipped that narrative, executed down the stretch, and got a much-needed win.