Ja Morant’s trash talk is backfiring on Grizzlies
Jan 26, 2022; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) during the first half against the San Antonio Spurs at AT&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-USA TODAY Sports
Nobody is learning the “talk spit, get hit” lesson harder than Ja Morant right about now.
The Memphis Grizzlies All-Star Morant went viral last week over his trash talk for the rest of the Western Conference. Among other things, Morant said that he was not worried about any other team in the West.
Since then though, Morant has gotten a Lennon-esque hit of instant karma. The 23-year-old made his comments in an interview clip that surfaced on Dec. 21. Though they went on to defeat the Phoenix Suns on Dec. 23, the Grizzlies have since lost back-to-back games to the Golden State Warriors and the Suns (in a rematch) by a combined 31 points. Both those opponents were down several key players as well.
Ja Morant said, ‘I’m fine in the West,’ and the Grizzlies proceeded to lose back-to-back games to…
😬 The Warriors without Steph Curry and Andrew Wiggins
😬 The Suns without Devin Booker, Cam Payne, Cam Johnson, and Landry Shamet pic.twitter.com/HtEJUsIukN— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 28, 2022
Memphis also dropped games to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Dec. 17 and to the Denver Nuggets on Dec. 20. That means they are now 1-4 in their last five games against in-conference oppponents … despite Morant not being worried about the West.
The ascendant young Grizzlies have been carrying themselves with a certain braggadocio this season, and there were even signs that they took a recent opponent way too lightly. There is nothing wrong with Memphis having confidence as it makes basketball more fun. But when they talk trash without backing it up on the court, it just makes them look silly.
