Ja Morant

Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant was undeterred by a highlight-reel block from Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert during Game 2 of their first-round playoff series Wednesday.

During the second quarter of an eventual 141-129 win for the Jazz, Gobert rejected Morant, who was rising up for what he hoped to be an emphatic dunk:

Morant said the following after the game: "I'm not afraid. That's his job: to protect the rim. My job when I'm attacking the rim is to go finish. So obviously, he got a good block. But as you [saw] throughout the game, I was right back inside the paint."

Although Morant enjoyed a star-making performance with 47 points, the top-seeded Jazz still managed to knot the series at 1-1.

Morant clearly didn't go into a shell after the reverse posterization, as he continued to attack and kept the Grizzlies in the game throughout.

All told, Ja made 15 of the 26 shots he attempted and got to the free-throw line a remarkable 20 times, making 15 of them.

Jazz head coach Quin Snyder was among those who marveled at what Morant accomplished Wednesday, saying: "He doesn't quit. He embraces being down 20. For him to be as good as he is at this age is special. He's going to get better and better."

Morant is in his second NBA season and first playoff run. His 73 points in his first two career playoff games are the second-most in NBA history behind only Hall of Famer George Mikan, who totaled 75 points in his first two postseason contests in 1949.

However, that wasn't enough to push the Grizzlies to a 2-0 series lead, as the Jazz were much improved in Game 2 thanks to the return of All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell, who missed Game 1 with an ankle injury.

Mitchell scored a team-high 25 points, while Gobert pitched in 21 points, 13 rebounds, four blocks and three assists and was arguably Utah's best player. Mike Conley added 20 points and 15 assists.

The two-time Defensive Player of the Year's block on Morant is the play everyone is talking about, but Gobert was a force throughout the game, and he may be the biggest key to Utah winning the series and going on a deep playoff run.

As for the Grizzlies, head coach Taylor Jenkins will need more out of his depth players if Memphis is going to pull off the first-round upset. The Grizzlies' bench scored only 14 points, a big reason why Morant's 47-point effort was squandered.

Game 3 is scheduled for Saturday at 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell was impressed with Memphis Grizzlies counterpart Ja Morant after Game 2 of the teams' first-round playoff series Wednesday night, calling him "a hell of a player" and saying he respects "the hell out of his game."

Morant scored 47 points, but it wasn't quite enough as the Jazz earned a 141-129 win to level the series at one game apiece:

Mitchell, who returned from a five-week absence caused by an ankle sprain, scored 25 points to pace the Jazz, who shot 54.4 percent from the field and knocked down 19 threes in the high-scoring victory.

Morant added seven assists and four rebounds on top of his 47-point effort, but he wasn't in a celebratory mood despite the standout performance.

"We lost," he told reporters. "Obviously it wasn't enough."

Perhaps most impressive was the fact most of his points came while attacking the paint, which is being protected in this series by Jazz center Rudy Gobert, the likely NBA Defensive Player of the Year.

"I'm not afraid," Morant said. "I mean, that's his job: to protect the rim. My job when I'm attacking the rim is to go finish. Obviously, he got a good block, but as you seen, I was right back inside the paint."

Gobert, who's 7'1'', held a similar view about his frequent showdowns with the 6'3'' Morant.

"It's what it's about," he said. "Sometimes I'm going to get dunked on and sometimes I'm going to get the block. I'm not going to stop coming and doing what I do. It's the same for him. Hopefully, he doesn't stop coming. I'm still going to be there every time. That's just the competitive spirit. I know Ja has that, but I have that, too."

It will be a fascinating matchup throughout the series, and one of the biggest challenges for the Jazz as a whole will be trying to defend the 2020 Rookie of the Year without fouling. He went to the free-throw line 20 times in Game 2.

The series now shifts to the FedEx Forum in Memphis for the next two contests. Game 3 is scheduled for Saturday night at 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Things are back on track for the Western Conference's top seed.

Donovan Mitchell returned for the first time since April 16 and helped lead the Utah Jazz to a 141-129 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series on Wednesday at Vivint Smart Home Arena. 

Mike Conley, Rudy Gobert and Mitchell led the way for the Jazz, who bounced back from their initial loss to tie the series at a game apiece.

An incredible showing from Ja Morant was not enough for the Grizzlies, who still have home-court advantage after splitting the first two in Utah.

Notable Player Stats

• Donovan Mitchell, G, UTA: 25 PTS, 5-of-10 3PT
• Mike Conley, G, UTA: 20 PTS, 15 AST, 4 REB
• Rudy Gobert, C, UTA: 21 PTS, 13 REB, 4 BLK, 3 AST
• Ja Morant, G, MEM: 47 PTS, 7 AST, 4 REB
• Dillon Brooks, F, MEM: 23 PTS

Mitchell Returns as Balanced Jazz Attack Overwhelms Memphis

The biggest storyline coming into Wednesday's game was the return of Mitchell, especially given how upset he was that Utah's training staff said he couldn't play in Game 1.

His presence helps beyond his own scoring because it opens up looks for everyone else when defenders collapse on him. That was much needed considering Utah's offense bogged down outside of Bojan Bogdanovic's late push in Game 1.

The difference was immediately clear.

Utah jumped out to a commanding lead in the first half with Mitchell draining shots from beyond the arc, Bogdanovic remaining aggressive and Joe Ingles and Jordan Clarkson providing their typical production off the bench. Throw in Gobert controlling the boards and protecting the rim, and the Jazz seemed to be in full control.

And then the defense collapsed in the third quarter.

Memphis cut the lead to as little as two with a dominant quarter, putting the pressure firmly on Utah's side. It didn't help that Mitchell went back to the tunnel for a stretch in the fourth, although Conley made sure his team didn't fall into a daunting 2-0 hole.

The veteran point guard fed Gobert for multiple dunks on pick-and-rolls, found Georges Niang and Royce O'Neale for critical three-pointers and mixed in his own floater and three-pointer. Just like that, the lead was back to double digits as seven players finished in double figures in a much-needed balanced offensive performance for a Jazz squad that connected on 19 triples.

Ja Morant Unstoppable Even in Defeat

By playoff standards, there wasn't much pressure on the Grizzlies in Wednesday's game.

After all, they already stole home-court advantage in Game 1 and have already surpassed expectations given their performance during the play-in tournament. That was the only initial good news for Memphis because Game 2 started in brutal fashion with Dillon Brooks, Jonas Valanciunas and Jaren Jackson Jr. all going to the bench with foul trouble in the first half.

Even with Morant carving up Utah's defense in the lane as the best player on the floor for extended stretches, the visitors still trailed by 20 at the half after being forced to rely so much on their bench.

It would have been easy for the Grizzlies to pack it in and start focusing on their return home with a split. Instead, they came out on fire and poured in 43 points in the third quarter alone with Morant continuing his brilliance and the Brooks and Valanciunas combination back on the floor.

Brooks in particular brought a spark by powering his way through the lane as a threat on the wing while Morant unleashed his array of floaters and dazzling finishes.

Utah ultimately had too much firepower with so many players contributing, but Morant continued to impress by fearlessly attacking the basket even when Gobert was in the paint. It was the second career playoff game for the 21-year-old, but he looked like a 10-year veteran while trying to keep his team within striking distance.

The future is bright for Memphis with Morant leading the way, even if Utah was the better team Wednesday.

What's Next?

The series shifts to Memphis for Game 3 on Saturday.

Ja Morant led the Memphis Grizzlies to a 112-109 win over the Utah Jazz in Game 1 of their first-round series Sunday, the team's third straight victory after two play-in nailbiters. 

As Morant faces a seemingly insurmountable hurdle of becoming the first No. 9-turned-No. 8 seed to win a first-round series, he's making it clear he's not afraid of the Jazz. 

"My message to myself is always, 'If you don't believe in yourself, who will?'" Morant told reporters. "I take that on the floor. I always take two quotes that I got tatted on me that my mom and dad always told me that I'm trained to go, meaning that I work for this moment and I'm prepared for it. [And] 'Beneath no one,' my mom always told me that. So as long as I'm going out there, I have all the confidence in myself. I'm not afraid of nobody. Anybody I play against tie their shoes the same way I do before the game. And I just go out there and play confident."

Morant had 26 points and four assists, scoring four of the Grizzlies' six points in the last two minutes as they held their lead against a surging Jazz team playing without Donovan Mitchell (ankle) and Rudy Gobert (foul out) down the stretch. Dillon Brooks capped off a 31-point effort with a layup with 4.3 seconds remaining.

Brooks previously scored 24 points in the Grizzlies' first play-in game against the San Antonio Spurs.

"An assassin, honestly," Morant said of Brooks. "He was locked in from the jump ... me as a point guard, it's keep feeding him the rock. Me and Coach got some playcalls for him to continue to keep scoring. He delivered."

Morant and coach Taylor Jenkins also credited Brooks' emotional leadership for helping guide Memphis, highlighting his energy and competitive spirit. 

The Memphis Grizzlies picked up right where they left off in the play-in tournament.

After winning two do-or-die games just to get to the playoffs, the Grizzlies defeated the Utah Jazz 112-109 in Game 1 of their Western Conference first-round series Sunday at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Utah nearly erased a 17-point fourth quarter deficit, but Bojan Bogdanovic missed a three that would have forced overtime.

Ja Morant and Dillon Brooks led the way for the visitors, who were much better than when they lost all three regular-season matchups against the Jazz.

Impressive efforts from Bogdanovic and Mike Conley in Donovan Mitchell's absence weren't enough for Utah, which lost the home-court advantage it earned with the league's best record in just one game.

Notable Player Stats

• Dillon Brooks, F, MEM: 31 PTS, 7 REB, 2 STL
• Ja Morant, G, MEM: 26 PTS, 4 AST, 4 REB
• Jonas Valanciunas, C, MEM: 15 PTS, 13 REB, 3 AST
• Bojan Bogdanovic, F, UTA: 29 PTS, 5 REB, 2 STL
• Mike Conley, G, UTA: 22 PTS, 11 AST, 6 REB, 2 BLK
• Rudy Gobert, C, UTA: 11 PTS, 15 REB, 3 BLK

Impressive Start Gives Grizzlies Enough Breathing Room for Win

It would have been easy for the Grizzlies to come out flat and accept a loss on the road to start this series.

After all, they were coming off two emotional win-or-go-home games last week, while the Jazz simply rested and prepared to open their postseason in front of a raucous home crowd. It was anything but an ideal situation for underdog Memphis, but that didn't stop it from taking a six-point lead into halftime and sending Utah something of a message that it was up for the challenge.

As if often the case with the Grizzlies, it was a balanced effort out of the gates.

Morant slashed through defenders, Brooks paced the scoring all while playing impressive defense, Kyle Anderson was a turnover-creating machine and secondary scorer, and Jonas Valanciunas notched a double-double on the inside.

Brooks then went into takeover mode with 14 points in the third quarter alone. He broke out the entire arsenal by going right at defenders, finishing at the rim, mixing in floaters and hitting multiple mid-range jumpers right over Georges Niang, and he didn't hesitate to let the Utah crowd know about it at times.

Desmond Bane ended the quarter with buzzer-beater three to give Memphis all the momentum, and the second unit extended the lead to 17 with Grayson Allen and Tyus Jones playing important minutes in the fourth.

It's a good thing for Memphis they did because it nearly lost the lead entirely when Bogdanovic caught fire at the end. Morant mixed in just enough clutch shots to end scoring droughts, and the Grizzlies now have home-court advantage in the series.

Bogdanovic's Late Charge Falls Just Short

The Jazz may be the No. 1 seed, but they were dealt a blow before their playoffs even started.

Mitchell, who has not played since April 16, was ruled out because of an ankle injury. That left Utah without its best player who was in the middle of a career season before the setback and put even more of the playoff pressure on the shoulders of everyone else.

While Conley helped pick up the slack in the early going by getting to the free-throw line and facilitating for his teammates, Utah still fell behind by six points by intermission. The biggest problem was the outside shooting, as the Mitchell-less Jazz were an ugly 4-of-21 from deep with 10 turnovers at the half.

Things got worse for the favorites when Conley and Rudy Gobert went to the bench with foul trouble and the lackluster shooting continued as the deficit stretched to double digits.

Jordan Clarkson was a logical candidate to take over the scoring, especially when Conley and Gobert were on the sidelines, but he missed all eight of his shots from deep and forced the issue multiple times.

Gobert also fouled out, but the Jazz finally found some life when Bogdanovic found his touch from three-point range and bulldozed his way to the rim multiple times. He poured in 29 points in the second half alone and nearly willed his team all the way back in the final minutes.

Utah can at least take solace in Bogdanovic's play, but it will need better efforts from the rest of the supporting cast if Mitchell is sidelined or less than 100 percent throughout the series.

What's Next?

Game 2 of the series is Wednesday in Utah.

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant threw his support behind Golden State Warriors counterpart Stephen Curry in the NBA MVP race after their battle Friday night.

Morant's Grizzlies scored a 117-112 overtime win over the Warriors to secure the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference playoffs, and the 2019-20 Rookie of the Year took time afterward to praise Curry on social media:

Both players put on a show in Friday's fight for the final playoff spot in the West.

Morant posted 35 points, six rebounds, six assists and four steals in 46 minutes. Curry compiled 39 points, five dimes, four boards and three swipes in 47 minutes.

"I love pressure, honestly," Morant told reporters. "I feel like my game rises to another level."

Even Warriors head coach Steve Kerr was impressed with how Memphis' budding superstar went shot for shot with the two-time MVP.

"He had a huge night," Kerr said.

Meanwhile, Curry was named a finalist for the 2020-21 MVP Award on Thursday. The Denver Nuggets' Nikola Jokic and Philadelphia 76ers' Joel Embiid are the other candidates.

The 33-year-old Davidson product already captured his second scoring title after averaging 32 points to narrowly edge the Washington Wizards' Bradley Beal (31.3). He also averaged 5.8 assists, 5.5 rebounds, 5.3 threes and 1.2 steals across 63 appearances.

While Jokic is the presumptive winner of the MVP award, it was Curry who led all qualified NBA players in ESPN's Real Plus-Minus.

Curry discussed his individual success after Friday's loss.

"I don't think I've put together a run like that, with that much [defensive] attention in my career, so it was a really rewarding experience. The great ones figure out a way to adapt, and understand what the challenge is and not complain about it, not make excuses, but just go out and hoop. ... There's some joy and fun in that, because you know the conversation is how they're gonna stop you, and you've found ways to keep that question unanswered."

Few players in NBA history can match Curry in terms of being a matchup nightmare, and he's showing no signs of slowing down heading into his mid-30s.

Cliches typically don't reach cliche status without at least a kernel of truth. And development not being linear has more than a kernel.

Time and again, we see NBA players declared to be at a certain level before the improvement levels off, slows down or even reverses. For Ja Morant, it'd probably be fair to classify his sophomore campaign under one of the first two labels.

After winning the 2019-20 Rookie of the Year award in a landslide, it would have been fair to think 2020-21 would be a superstar campaign. But an early injury and season-long struggles with his outside shooting hampered the Memphis Grizzlies point guard. That is, at least statistically.

On Friday, in a do-or-die play-in game against MVP finalist Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors, Morant flashed the superstar upside again. This time, on a national TV stage.

The Grizzlies eliminated the Warriors in overtime, 117-112, and Morant was the driving (literally, driving) reason why. Counterpunching Curry all night, Morant finished with 35 points, six boards, six assists, five threes (on 10 attempts) and four steals.

And his final two attacks gave him 15 points in the fourth quarter and overtime and put the Warriors away for good. The digital play-by-play for each of those two field goals reads exactly the same: "Morant 9' Driving Floating Jump Shot."

In what was almost certainly the biggest moment of Morant's young career, he provided the clutch finishes that sent his team to the postseason for the first time in the post-Grit-n-Grind era. And if the Grizzlies keep playing with the kind of intensity they showed on Friday, they'll need a nickname of their own.

Their first-round opponent is a far cry from the two teams they just dispatched in the inaugural play-in tournament, though.

The Utah Jazz finished the season with the best record in the NBA. Their 8.97 SRS (simple rating system combines point differential with strength of schedule) ranks 16th in NBA history. The Warriors' and San Antonio Spurs' marks rank 660th and 1,032nd, respectively.

After knocking off two middle-of-the-road teams by 2020-21 standards, Memphis now faces a historical juggernaut that just broke the record for threes per game and allowed the fewest points per 100 non-garbage time possessions in the league.

To even make this series competitive, Friday's version of Ja (or at least, something close to it) will have to show up for every game.

During the regular season, the well-below-average effective field-goal percentage Morant posted stymied his impact on offense, and a lack of size and engagement on the other end hurt too.

He finished 94th in the league in estimated wins added, according to Dunks & Threes. Mike Conley and Donovan Mitchell, meanwhile, were 21st and 39th, respectively, despite missing significant chunks of the season with injuries.

An advanced stats discrepancy between Morant and his counterpart didn't matter on Friday, though. Morant rarely guarded Curry (that was left largely to Dillon Brooks and a scrambling team philosophy that crowded Curry everywhere he went), but you could argue the guard battle went to the younger competitor.

Taking a couple rounds off Conley, Mitchell, Jordan Clarkson or whoever his nominal head-to-head matchup ends up being isn't out of the question. But if we're going to stick to the boxing analogy, the best-case scenario for Morant and Memphis is probably closer to Rocky I than Rocky II.

This team is scrappy. It'll take plenty of haymakers from the Jazz and keep moving forward. It might even score a knockdown. But a series upset seems a ways from likely. Right now, FiveThirtyEight's projection system gives Utah and the Philadelphia 76ers (both at 95 percent) the best chances to advance to the second round.

That doesn't mean Morant can't deepen the impression he left on NBA fans on Friday. There will likely be moments, maybe even entire quarters or halves, in which it feels like Morant is in control of the game. He'll get hot with the floater. He'll have those to-the-rim-in-a-heartbeat drives. And we'll likely be reminded of why we were so high on him after the Rookie of the Year campaign.

Morant is just 21, presumably several years shy of his prime. Developing a league-average jump shot is certainly in play. And as he gains experience and good old-fashioned strength, he won't give up ground on defense as easily.

Improvement in those areas, whether linear or not, will put Morant on track for superstardom. Because the stuff he already has—like the burst off the dribble, an ability to lead and palpable competitiveness—are harder to teach.

Stats provided by Stathead, Cleaning the Glass and Basketball Reference.