Pedro Oliveira
Last night was a premier event for the NBA and a defining game in Ja Morant’s career. He’s the league’s Most Improved Player this season and the leader of the Memphis Grizzlies, who evened the series (1-1) against the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference semifinals in this 2022 postseason. After losing the first game carrying the lead most of the way through the game, and with the Warriors’ defensive mainstay out since the second quarter(Draymond Green), the Taylor Jenkins-led team couldn’t afford to lose both home games.
Ja Morant’s historic performance
Behind 47 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, three steals and five three-pointers, the 22-year-old point guard was the main reason Memphis managed to even the series in the second chapter of the series. Teammates Desmond Bane (five points, six rebounds) and Jaren Jackson Jr. (12 points, seven rebounds, two blocks) were disabled offensively for most of the game, which ended with a final score of 106-101.
With 18 points in the last quarter (including the last 15 points of the Grizzlies in the game, as well as having taken a blow to his left eye that hindered his vision) Morant joined a very exclusive group of players who accomplished multiple games of 45 points or more before his 23rd birthday, with this being his second playoff game of 45 points or more in his young career. This club has only two other members: Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.
Kobe got both games in the 2001 postseason, and both were back-to-back: the first against the Sacramento Kings in the decisive Game 4 of the series, which ended in favor of the Lakers sweeping the Kings (4-0). Bryant was the leading scorer with 48 points. He would repeat the feat with 45 points against the San Antonio Spurs in the first game of the Western Conference Finals.
On the other hand, James did it for the first time in the 2006 postseason, scoring 45 points against the Washington Wizards in Game 5 of the first-round series. His second time was against the Detroit Pistons with 48 points in Game 5 of the 2007 Eastern Conference Finals.
Morant is in exceptional company, and if his current success continues, he has a chance to exceed both legends in this record, considering he will not turn 23 until August 10, when the season is over. The next game between the Grizzlies and Warriors will be played on Saturday, May 7 (8:30 PM ET) with the series moving to San Francisco. Golden State will host Memphis at the Chase Center to determine who will take the lead again in the playoffs.
