MY ACCOUNT
LeBron James applauded Ja Morant’s performance as he led the Memphis Grizzlies to a 104-99 home win over the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Lakers were ahead in the third quarter, but a dazzling display from Morant – including a late flourish – saw the Grizzlies come back from behind to claim victory.
The 22-year-old scored 41 points in total, the second time he has broken the 40-point barrier in two games against the Lakers this season.
James, who managed to equal a career-high record of eight three-pointers in the defeat, claimed the quality of Morant’s shooting made him nearly unstoppable, with the Grizzlies star recording six for seven from beyond the arc.
“When you shoot the ball as well as he did tonight from the perimeter, with his speed and his athleticism, it’s going be hard to contain a guy like that because he’s doing the whole three levels of scoring,” James said after the game.
“You can’t, there’s nothing you can do. He has you at his beck [and call].”
Lakers guard Malik Monk agreed with his team-mate, adding that the free throws his side gave away helped Morant find his range.
“We started fouling, man, and he went to the free throw line and started seeing the ball go in, and he got his rhythm that way,” Monk said.
“And when a guy gets it going like that, there’s not much you can do.”
Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins credited Morant with leading by example and spurring the side on to victory from a losing position late on.
“What an unbelievable night by [Morant], the tone he was setting throughout the game,” Jenkins said.
“When he got going, it just kind of fuelled everyone else, and we kind of just broke loose there in that third quarter.”
