Ja Morant, the world is watching.
What are you going to do?
The last two years haven’t been kind to the Memphis Grizzlies star.
From off-the-court suspensions, season-ending injuries, and late-season spirals, Morant’s once bright future has taken a few hits.
Some self-inflicted, others not so much.
However, on Tuesday evening, he can put the last 24 months behind him with a victory over Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors in the play-in game in San Francisco.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst believes Morant will take advantage of the opportunity that is in front of him.
The NBA reporter called out the star guard and Grizzlies squad on the NBA on ESPN to turn it around.
“I have an idea,” Windhorst said.
“Let’s have the Grizzlies overachieve, because the last four years have been miserable for them in the postseason.
“They were the two seed and they got knocked out in the second round. They were the two seed and they got knocked out in the first round. Last year, devastated by injuries, no postseason.
“This year they were the two seed two months ago, then when they fired Taylor Jenkins they were tied for the four seed. Where are they today?
“They’re the eighth seed. These are things that are going in the absolute wrong direction.
“The Grizzlies have a chance tonight to push back on all this negative momentum, and strike a victory.
“We know that the Warriors have struggled, that will be in their head a little bit, you can get ahead early on them. Let them think about it.
“The Grizzlies have a great opportunity. As bad as things have gone for the last two months, here’s a moment where they can deliver a grand performance that can change the momentum, and it comes down to Ja.
“They have other guys who can make serious contributions. I just had Jaron Jackson Jr. all over my awards ballot that I just put in. He’s been their most consistent player.
“But this really is a great opportunity for Ja to reverse the narrative that has been against this team now for the last three, four years.”
The good news for Grizzlies fans, is that Morant seems to love playing the Warriors when it comes to the postseason.
He’s at his best when he faces the team from the Bay.
In 4 career play-in/playoff games versus Golden State, Morant has put up point totals of 47, 35, 35 and 34.
In other words, expect a dazzling performance from No. 12.
And that may just be enough to quiet the critics for the time being and walk out of the Chase Center with a win.
If so, that will put the Grizzlies firmly in the playoffs with a showdown against the Houston Rockets in the first round.
