While it's still way too early to tell who came out on top between the Portland Trail Blazers and Memphis Grizzlies in the Ja Morant trade, both sides should be happy following their first game of the season.
For the Grizzlies, a starting spot opened up for point guard Ty Jerome, who led all scorers in the league with 45 points on opening night. Morant's stat sheet was a little quieter, but his 14 points, five rebounds, and eight assists in 23 minutes of action during the team's 124-83 blowout victory against the Phoenix Suns are a strong start for what's to come.
Ja Morant Shines in Blazers Debut
Morant was able to show a decent amount in a smaller sample size than what may have been anticipated for his first game of the year. Portland took a 21-0 lead in the first six minutes of the game before Phoenix found a bucket, so the Blazers were on cruise control for most of the contest.
It was a long offseason for Morant, who underwent a lot of change, but he didn't forget what the naysayers may have been saying about him all offseason long.
“Before we even stepped on the floor, Dame reminded me of what everyone been saying,” Morant said postgame. “Just know we handled business; we ain’t gonna speak on it.”
It appears Morant used the trade as motivation for his play against the Suns. It may not have come out as an angry motivation, but rather a focused one.
It wasn't the splashiest effort from Morant, but it was a pretty strong showing from him. The biggest takeaway from Morant's debut might have been his shot selection. He made 6 of his 8 shots from the floor and took smart, open looks for the most part.
Taking these high-efficiency looks is what is going to propel him to success in Micah Nori's offense. The more he can do that, the more he will shine alongside Damian Lillard, Deni Avdija, and the rest of his teammates.
It's still a work in progress for Morant, who needs to show consistency over a longer period of time, but so far, so good for the newest member of the Blazers.
Morant and his teammates are back in action tomorrow night as they take on Monta Sabonis and the Sacramento Kings. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 pm PT inside the Golden 1 Center. Fans can watch the game on Rip City Television Network or stream it on NBA League Pass.
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