The up-and-coming Grizzlies were notorious trash talkers, but when injuries ravaged the club last season, things went quiet.
The boisterous, in-your-face Grizzlies returned Wednesday, handing the Lakers their fourth loss in five games, beginning with Ja Morant. He exchanged buckets with LeBron James, both making the “too small” gesture after scoring. After the game, Morant refused to back down, stating that he was not a Lakers fan.
“I don’t like them,” Morant stated postgame. “They knocked me out of the playoffs, and last year they were talking crazy while I was in street clothes…” “Not tonight, though.”
Morant and LeBron were polite to each other, but neither backed down.
“I think I did ‘too small’ to somebody who was too small,” Morant told the Associated Press. “He returned and did it respectfully…” He did it, and I’m not backing down from anyone. I do not care who you are.
“My job was to just return. I got my bucket and established the tone. My teammates feed off of it, and you can see what happened. The best player in our league. You took out the top dog; who else do you fear?”
“Just two guys from the inner city who love to compete,” James remarked of his match with Morant. “That’s how we all grew up, playing on the blacktop, playing outside, competing at a high level when there was no cameras around.”
Memphis’ depth and effort helped them win the game 131-114. Both teams were shorthanded and missing their second-best player — the Lakers were missing Anthony Davis (left heel contusion) and Rui Hachimura (illness), while the Grizzlies were missing Desmond Bane (oblique strain), Marcus Smart (ankle sprain), Luke Kennard (foot), and G.G. Jackson (foot), but Memphis had depth and got 20 points from Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Jaylen Wells on their way to having seven players in double figures.
The Lakers received 39 from the ageless LeBron, but coach J.J. Redick criticized everyone else’s effort before storming out of his press conference.
JJ with the mic drop after being asked about this 😳 pic.twitter.com/skA7LrGmE0
— Oh No He Didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) November 7, 2024
It took eight games.
Redick has done an excellent job providing motion and creative setups to the Lakers’ offense. But, perhaps, the issue isn’t whether the coach is Redick, Darvin Ham, or Frank Vogel. Perhaps the issue is with the roster that the front management has assembled.
Mentions: MEM_Morant_Ja.jpg (Ja Morant) LAL_James_LeBron.jpg.
LeBron James
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Los Angeles Lakers’ primary logo
