Ja Morant has successfully returned to the NBA after a 25-game suspension. The 24-year-old secured a 115:113 victory for the Memphis Grizzlies over the New Orleans Pelicans with the clock running out.
With a total of 34 points, eight rebounds, six assists and the game-winning buzzer beater, Morant played a significant role in the success of the Grizzlies, who were still trailing by 19 points at halftime.
“I haven’t played a game in eight months,” Morant told TNT television. “I had a lot of time, a lot of hard days, that I made it through.” Morant felt like “I was experiencing the perfect end to a perfect day.”
Morant was banned in the summer for “behavior that was detrimental to the league” after he was repeatedly seen with weapons in social media posts – although he had praised improvement after a previous ban for the same reason and various other negative headlines.
Now Morant – a crucial component in his team’s sporting plans with a $197 million mega-contract – had the opportunity to write other headlines again.
After the match, Morant also made an announcement to his many critics: When he ran into the catacombs of the hall after the game, he stormed past the reporters with a laughing face and shouted five meaningful words: “I kept the receipts, too “ (“I kept the receipts”) – a saying in America to say: I remembered what you said or wrote.
Meanwhile, Damian Lillard broke a sound barrier with his 40 points in the Milwaukee Bucks’ 132:119 win against the San Antonio Spurs. The 33-year-old became the 51st NBA player to break the 20,000 point mark. Meanwhile, teammate Giannis Antetokounmpo achieved a triple-double with eleven points, 14 rebounds and 16 assists.
With Sports Information Service (SID)
2023-12-20 08:40:37
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