Ja Morant gave it his all on Tuesday night against the Golden State Warriors.
The Memphis Grizzlies superstar went off for 36 points on 14-of-22 shooting, to go along with three rebounds, six assists, two steals and five triples in 33 minutes of action.
It still wasn’t enough, though, as Steph Curry exploded for 52 points to lead the Warriors to a hard-fought 134-125 win.
Morant cannot be blamed for a lack of effort and fighting spirit on Tuesday night as the Grizzlies suffered their third straight loss. The two-time All-Star, however, is now facing some backlash for his behavior during the game.
This is after Morant was caught by the cameras doing what appeared to be a gun gesture late in the game — one that seemed to be aimed in the direction of the Warriors bench.
For context, the NBA slapped Morant with a 25-game suspension back in June 2023 after a video of the Grizzlies guard holding a firearm while inside a vehicle went viral. This incident came roughly three months after Morant had been suspended for eight games — and underwent counseling — after he was filmed with a firearm in a Denver-area nightclub.
It is impossible to tell what Morant meant with his gesture on Tuesday night, but the fans on social media could not help but make the connection.
“Dumb (expletive) boutta get suspended lmfao. Thanks @JaMorant,” a comment on X read.
“He’s such an immature douche 🤮” said another.
“when will he learn,” asked a user.
Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12)
© Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
“Suspend him indefinitely. Doesn’t deserve a second chance anymore. He’s been warned and he didn’t comply,” declared a fan.
“What a clown,” another reacted.
“Dude acts so hard for someone that’s 110 lbs soaking wet. 😭” a post read.
It is worth noting, though, that some fans came to Morant’s defense by pointing out that Warriors veteran Buddy Hield also had a similar gesture, seemingly aimed at Morant.
Either way, the fact of the matter is that it’s Morant who has a history with firearms, and it is clear that social media remembers it all too well.
As for the basketball, Memphis has now fallen to the No. 6 spot in the West after Tuesday’s loss. The Warriors have surpassed them for the No. 5 seed as Curry and Co. now hold a 0.5-game advantage over the Grizzlies.
