Ja Morant had his first 20-point, 10-assist game in win vs. Hornets

Ja Morant bounced back from a tough recent string of games Wednesday night by recording his first career 20-point, 10-assist game.

Memphis Grizzlies rookie Ja Morant bounced back from a tough recent string of games Wednesday night by recording his first career 20-point, 10-assist game in a 119-117 win over the Charlotte Hornets.

Morant finished with 23 points, including the go-ahead layup with 0.7 seconds left, and a career-high 11 assists in the victory as he recorded his first double-double of the season — his previous high for assists was nine set on Oct. 27. The second overall shot an efficient 10-of-15 from the field and had a number of highlight-reel plays, including a nice behind-the-back finish in the first quarter.

The performance by Morant was welcomed by the rookie after recording just 17 total points over his previous two outings in which he shot just 5-of-25 from the field. Hitting the game-winning layup won’t hurt, either.

Despite his recent struggles, Morant has been arguably the top rookie this season and his performance on Wednesday certainly added to his early success. He flashed elite ball-handling skills in the game and proved why he was so highly touted leaving college.

The Grizzlies return to action Friday against the Utah Jazz.

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