Ja Morant's 34-point performance leads Memphis Grizzlies to win vs New York Knicks
Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant had one subtle response all preseason when asked what he would do for an encore after a breakout third season.
"You'll see," he said.
Whether it was when his 6-foot-2½ frame took flight and finished through the chest of 7-foot Mitchell Robinson, his array of flashy passes, a two-handed block or the swishing of the FedExForum nets after his three made 3-pointers, everyone did indeed, see.
But the crowd needed one more Morant highlight in overtime against the New York Knicks on Wednesday night. Morant drove the basketball and kicked it to a wide open Tyus Jones after the defense collapsed. Jones dropped his arms and turned to the crowd as he put the finishing touch on the game.
The Grizzlies held off the Knicks 115-112 in front of a jam-packed crowd in FedExForum.
The Grizzlies led by as many as 19 points behind big shooting nights from Morant, Desmond Bane, John Konchar and Santi Aldama. Each player made at least three 3-pointers while the Grizzlies played sound defense.
Memphis built its 19-point lead in the third quarter, but defensive mistakes led to a Knicks run. The game went into overtime after Knicks guard Cam Reddish nailed a 3-pointer in the final seconds.
The Grizzlies shot 38.9%% while the Knicks finished at 40.4%.
Here are some takeaways from the season opener.
SEASON PREVIEW:Memphis Grizzlies preview: Ja Morant's next step, season predictions, breakout candidates
DOUBLE DUTY:Danny Green joining ESPN in part-time analyst role while playing with Memphis Grizzlies
CONTENTION:After a quiet offseason, where do the Memphis Grizzlies stand in a loaded Western Conference?
Key players missing on opening night
About an hour before the game, it was announced that Dillon Brooks would not play due to left thigh soreness. Brooks joined Ziaire Williams, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Danny Green as inactive Grizzlies. Williams and Brooks both played at least two games in the preseason, so their losses created depth concerns on the wing. The Grizzlies moved Konchar to the starting lineup in place of Brooks. Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said that he and the staff discussed possibly going to a nine-man rotation, but they stuck with 10 since it's the beginning of the season. Jones, Jake LaRavia, David Roddy, Xavier Tillman Sr. and Brandon Clarke were on the second unit.
The Ja Morant show
When Morant faked a left-handed pass behind his back and then threw a no-look assist to Clarke, he looked as if he even impressed himself. As the Knicks called a timeout, Morant walked past the halfcourt line and then back to the Grizzlies huddle with his arms stretched out and a look of amazement on his face. That's where things have come with Morant. He continued his highlight-reel performance and finished with 34 points. Morant did have six turnovers, but he added nine assists and shot 11-for-24.
Santi Aldama rises up
When Adalma picked up a technical foul in third quarter, no one on the Grizzlies sideline was upset. Morant walked up to him and clapped, and Jenkins wanted an explanation from the referees. Aldama's technical came after he took a pass from Adams and finished a poster dunk over Julius Randle. Aldama looked in Randle's direction while letting out a celebratory yell. That was just one of the big plays from Aldama's performance. He made 3-pointers, altered shots on defense and finished around the rim. Jenkins called "confidence" as one of the most noticeable differences from Aldama, and that was evident against the Knicks. If Aldama plays at this level, the starting power forward position won't be much of a concern before Jackson's return. Aldama finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds on 7-of-14 shooting.
What's next
The Grizzlies won't have much time to rest. They'll travel to Houston on Thursday before playing back to back games on Friday and Saturday against the Rockets and Dallas Mavericks.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Ja Morant Memphis Grizzlies score New York Knicks
