Ja Morant’s return to the Grizzlies lineup came with a solid, 21-point, 10-assist performance, but Memphis fell 130-126 to the Utah Jazz after his 10-game layoff due to a right calf strain.
The 6-foot-2 guard showed some rust in his first game back, shooting 7-for-20 and turning the ball over four times in just over 25 minutes on the floor. When asked about the inactivity since his last appearance in the Grizzlies’ 108-100 loss at Cleveland on Nov. 15, Morant acknowledged the challenge of knocking the rust off, saying, “I was forced to get some shots up. Some of them, I should have been to the free throw line. Some I missed. Some I made. I can’t change it. I just got to live with it.”
Through 12 games this season, Morant is averaging 17.9 points and 7.6 assists, a dip from his career averages of 22.4 points per game. His shooting overall and from three-point range have both slipped, a contrast to the high-impact play he’s known for.
During Morant’s absence, Memphis went 7-3, marking the longest stretch of games he missed this season. The streak included a one-game absence due to right ankle soreness and a one-game suspension after he publicly criticized the coaching staff.
Morant, who has spent his entire seven-year NBA career with the Grizzlies since being selected No. 2 in the 2019 draft after Zion Williamson, stated after Friday’s game, “We should have won.” He added that the team played too soft, were outrebounded, and were outpaced by contributions from the bench. He committed to better leadership in rebounding, ball-handling, and decision-making, and vowed to improve alongside his teammates.
As Morant himself noted, there’s work to do if Memphis wants to turn these close losses into victories, and he emphasized the need to elevate his all-around play to help the bigs and the team on both ends of the floor.
Dec 12, 2025 | Updated Dec 12, 2025 11:36 p.m.
Clay Bailey
