NBA: Grizzlies will use new 'confidence' with Ja Morant humming vs Hawks

Ja Morant wasted no time reminding the NBA that he is still one of the league’s premier players.

Now the big question is: can the two-time Memphis Grizzlies All-Star stay healthy and avoid the injuries that have limited him this season and in recent years?

Morant will have a chance to prove it again on Wednesday when the Grizzlies return to the U.S. to host the Atlanta Hawks.

Morant made his return Sunday against the Orlando Magic in London after missing six straight games with a right calf contusion. He also sat out the opening game of the European swing — a 118-111 loss to Orlando in Berlin — but was electric in London, taking control of the game in the first five minutes and never slowing down.

Under Morant’s leadership, Memphis built a 33-point lead in the second quarter. Orlando never got closer than 16 points the rest of the way.

Morant finished with 24 points and a season-high 13 assists, displaying the same youthful energy that has made him one of the NBA’s most exciting stars.

“The energy was contagious,” Grizzlies coach Tuomas Iisalo said. “He did a great job quarterbacking the team and setting up other guys for success early in the game, pushing the pace, sharing the ball. It then snowballed into a great team effort.

“It gives the group a ton of confidence to have him back. … Ja has been one of those guys who has carried the energy in practice. He’s been very good. I’m super happy to see him out there.”

Recent reports suggested the Grizzlies may be open to trade offers for Morant, but he made it clear in London that Memphis is where he wants to be.

“Anybody in here who knows me knows that I’m a very loyal guy,” Morant said. “I got a logo (a Grizzlies tattoo from 2023) on my back, so that should tell you exactly where I want to be.”

Morant scored 20 or more points for the first time since Dec. 30. He was playing for the first time since Jan. 2.

“Just to be able to play basketball is very therapeutic for me,” Morant said. “I know what I’m capable of out there on the court, and I was able to show that tonight and receive the love from people I’ve seen for the first time. It was big time, walking off and representing Memphis is what it is all about.”

Meanwhile, the Atlanta Hawks will try to end a four-game losing streak when they face Memphis. The Hawks fell 112-110 to the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker hit a 3-pointer with 12.6 seconds left to cut the deficit to one, but Milwaukee’s CJ McCollum failed to get a clean shot off at the buzzer.

“Those are situations that you work on in practice,” Hawks coach Quin Snyder said. “It was one of the ones we had touched. I really trust CJ with the ball. Thought we got it into a position where he was going to get one, he was going to kick it out and the ball just got tipped.”

The Hawks will look to break their slump on the road, where they are 13-12 this season.

“One thing that I did learn and could feel (against Milwaukee) was despite the shots going in or going out, or whatever the game was really giving us, our energy and mentality towards it will change everything,” Alexander-Walker said.

—Field Level Media/Reuters