What happened at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans on Tuesday night could not have been predicted by Hollywood’s greatest screenwriter.
Ja Morant, one of the NBA’s emerging talents, was making his season debut after serving a 25-game ban. During lineup introductions, a mix of applause and booing turned into loud boos when he first touched the ball on the Grizzlies’ first possession.
Two and a half hours later, the boos died down as an audible gasp echoed throughout the arena when Morant drove to the basket, spun to his right, and made a floater over the outstretched arms of New Orleans Pelicans defensive standout Herb Jones at the buzzer to lead Memphis to a 115-113 win.
“You see where that got them,” Morant remarked of the booing after the game.
The Grizzlies (7-19) trailed by up to 24 points. Memphis players, who had been equating Morant’s return to the start of a new season before to the game, raced to the two-time all-star guard after his basket, and the celebration continued into the locker room.
Coaches and players encircled Morant as the celebration began. Morant’s statement in the locker room was straightforward: “I’m back.”
“From the coach to the last guy, we were hyped,” Xavier Tillman Sr. said. “We screamed and shouted. (Morant) was fortunate we didn’t pour any water on him.”
Morant entered the venue two hours before the game, dressed in a charcoal Nike tech with a sweatshirt over his head. Derrick Rose, the NBA’s once-young electric superstar guard, stood at his side and is now Morant’s seasoned colleague on whom he relies for advise.
“Damn,” Rose said, as cameras surrounding him and Morant.
Morant said nothing, but his performance said volumes, as he finished with 34 points, eight assists, and six rebounds.
“I’ve been prepping for this for almost eight months,” Morant told reporters.
How Ja Morant converted boos into quiet in his first game back with the Memphis Grizzlies.
Damichael Cole, Memphis Commercial Appeal
NEW ORLEANS— What happened at the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans on Tuesday night could not have been predicted by Hollywood’s greatest screenwriter.
Ja Morant, one of the NBA’s emerging talents, was making his season debut after serving a 25-game ban. During lineup introductions, a mix of applause and booing turned into loud boos when he first touched the ball on the Grizzlies’ first possession.
Two and a half hours later, the boos died down as an audible gasp echoed throughout the arena when Morant drove to the basket, spun to his right, and made a floater over the outstretched arms of New Orleans Pelicans defensive standout Herb Jones at the buzzer to lead Memphis to a 115-113 win.
“You see where that got them,” Morant remarked of the booing after the game.
The Grizzlies (7-19) trailed by up to 24 points. Memphis players, who had been equating Morant’s return to the start of a new season before to the game, raced to the two-time all-star guard after his basket, and the celebration continued into the locker room.
Coaches and players encircled Morant as the celebration began. Morant’s statement in the locker room was straightforward: “I’m back.”
“From the coach to the last guy, we were hyped,” Xavier Tillman Sr. said. “We screamed and shouted. (Morant) was fortunate we didn’t pour any water on him.”
Morant entered the venue two hours before the game, dressed in a charcoal Nike tech with a sweatshirt over his head. Derrick Rose, the NBA’s once-young electric superstar guard, stood at his side and is now Morant’s seasoned colleague on whom he relies for advise.
“Damn,” Rose said, as cameras surrounding him and Morant.
Morant said nothing, but his performance said volumes, as he finished with 34 points, eight assists, and six rebounds.
“I’ve been prepping for this for almost eight months,” Morant told reporters.
Why the booing?
Morant was puzzled. Each of his first few touches in the game was met with loud boos from the New Orleans fans.
“I don’t know the reason, I don’t know what I did to the Pelicans or they fans, but they got to root for they team, so it’s all good,” Morant was quoted as saying.
Although the Pelicans (16-12) are a division opponent, Morant has never been booed so loudly in New Orleans. As one Pelicans fan described it, the response was not one of hatred.
“They were disappointed with his behavior,” Pelicans fan Ronald Smith said. “I don’t believe people dislike him. You’re the biggest thing in Memphis. Behave.”