Ja Morant has been a thorn in the side of the Utah Jazz.
After finishing at the top of the Western Conference, the title-hungry Utah franchise now needs to pass its first playoff test in the form of Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies. Following the Jazz’s home victory Thursday, the evened-out battle shifts to Memphis Sunday.
Proclaiming that this series is a test for the Jazz isn’t to say that Morant and his squad have no title aspirations themselves. On the contrary, they play with the vigor of a crew that’s destined to be on the game’s biggest stage.
However, the Jazz have had a target on their back since the beginning of the season when they got off to a roaring start. The question “are the Jazz for real?” has been thrown many times in the hot-take arena of NBA conversations.
After amassing a league-best record of 52-20 in the regular season, they became the West’s frontrunner in taking the throne away from the defending champions LA Lakers. And any would-be titleholders will have to surpass a gauntlet of challenges to prove that they are true contenders.
The first two games in the series have made it clear that the Jazz need to put away a legendary player in the making and a team that’s not going to back down anytime soon.
Game 2 was a staple bounce-back game for the Jazz. Donovan Mitchell returned to the lineup and removed doubts about the after-effects of his ankle injury while putting his controversial absence in Game 1 to rest. He scored 25 points and came out of the gates with guns blazing, scoring 12 points and three triples in the opening minutes. Though he was limited to just 26 cautious minutes, he moved with agility and purpose.
But the big story in Game 2 wasn’t just about Mitchell’s return. It was how the Jazz had to withstand the avalanche caused by Morant’s career-high 47 points and the Grizzlies’ no-quit attitude. Mitchell’s splendid shooting helped the Jazz get the early 22-point lead, but the third quarter definitely belonged to the road team.
The Grizzlies brought out the sledgehammer and dropped 43 points in the third, setting a franchise record. They shot 67 percent from the field that left the crowd inside Vivint Arena in disbelief. Morant led the way with 13 points in the period but Dillon Brooks once again played a crucial role after he endured early foul trouble.
Morant’s career game was one for the history books. His 47 points broke the franchise scoring record, which was ironically held by former Memphis star turned Utah point guard Mike Conley. It’s also the highest number of points scored by a 21-year-old in the playoffs. For context, only four other players – LeBron James, Tracy McGrady, Magic Johnson, and Luka Doncic – had a 40-point game at this age or younger.
Diving further, Morant is now second in most points scored by a player in his first two career playoff games with 73 points. George Mikan, knighted as basketball’s first star, holds the all-time record with 75 points in 1949.
Morant's stellar numbers are not just hollow numbers. They are more like a premonition, a window to the future. Destined for greatness, he is laser-focused on being an all-time point guard. You can see it. It’s like watching the birth of a star, exploding and shining his way into a whole new level.
That’s why the Jazz upped the ante in Game 2. That’s why they need to continue to prove that they belong in the championship conversation by shutting down Morant early and convincingly.
And to Jazz’s credit, they played their brand of basketball to match the Grizzlies’ scorching third-quarter run. With the deadly combination of 3-point shooting and adept usage of the high pick-and-roll, the Jazz left the Grizzlies searching for answers. Every Morant bucket – which was no easy feat because of the stingy defense anchored by Rudy Gobert in the middle – was met by a beautiful counterattack by the Jazz on the other end.
The Grizzlies were left scrambling as Conley or Mitchell consistently went for the pick-and-roll with Gobert. Defenders had to respect the outside shooting of the two Jazz guards while being wary of a hard roll by their 7-foot center. Even if you stop both options, the Jazz have 3-point shooters spread out, which makes defending them extra perilous. Gobert ended up with 21 points, 13 rebounds, and four blocks while Conley contributed 20 points and a personal-best 15 assists. Bojan Bogdanovic sniped his way to 18.
The Jazz brought their A-game to stop Morant and the Grizzlies. Again, if you want to be a serious contender aiming to take down future Western foes, the winning formula should be evident from the opening round onwards. This is just the first of many tough tests for the Jazz in these playoffs.
If the Jazz are not careful, Morant will be able to find ways to swallow them whole. That’s what happens when you let a budding star launch into a different stratosphere.
