Tag: Ja Morant

Rookie Wire Power Rankings: Ja Morant picks up where he left off

Rookie Wire takes a look at the top rookies through the seventh week of the 2019-20 NBA season.

Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant recently returned after missing four games due to back soreness after crashing into a courtside camera operator.

With Zion Williamson out following knee surgery, the top of the rookie class took a hit over the past week with Morant out of the lineup and R.J. Barrett struggling to stay consistent.

Of course, Morant returned on Monday night to lead the Grizzlies to a win over the Golden State Warriors. He recorded a team-high 26 points in that game and reasserted himself as the top rookie to this point of the season.

As Morant showed so signs of slowing down following his injury, some other rookies are beginning to pick up steam as the NBA begins the second quarter of the season.

Rookie Wire will compile the rankings of the five best players each week based on how they performed on the court. The rankings are not for Rookie of the Year purposes but, rather, to illustrate the top-performing players.

Here are the Rookie Wire Power Rankings for Week 7:

All stats are through games played on Dec. 10

5. De’Andre Hunter, Hawks

Stats: 12.8 points, 4 rebounds, 1.9 assists

Rank Last Week: Honorable Mention

Speaking of pick up steam, Hawks rookie De’Andre Hunter has burst onto the scene over the past few weeks. Hunter recorded a career-high 28 points on Tuesday night in an overtime loss to the Miami Heat as he shot an efficient 11-of-17 from the field. Hunter recently dealt with a dislocated right index finger but showed no signs of any issues on Tuesday night. Hunter is up to seventh in rookie scoring this season but is averaging 14.5 points per game over his six games, good for sixth-best over that time period.

4. Rui Hachimura, Wizards

Stats: 14.4 points, 6 rebounds, 1.7 assists

Rank Last Week: 5

After struggling with his consistency, Hachimura has quietly strung together quite a few impressive performances. The ninth overall pick has scored in double figures in seven straight games and is averaging 19.6 points over that span, the most among all rookies. Of course, that streak includes a career-high 30 points against the Los Angeles Clippers on Dec. 1 and a 27-point performance two games later against the Philadelphia 76ers. The rookie appears to be finally finding his way with the Wizards and it has led to some improved play as of late.

3. Eric Paschall, Warriors

Stats: 16.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists

Rank Last Week: 2

As the Warriors struggle, Paschall is coming off of his worst outing of the season. The second-round pick recorded a season-low five points on Monday, snapping a streak of 13 consecutive games scoring in double figures. Paschall still leads the rookie class in total points scored, just topping Kendrick Nunn and Ja Morant. Paschall has thrived in isolation situations this season and has used his size and strength to get to the basket. He is having a strong rookie campaign to this point and now has the second-highest odds to win the Rookie of the Year award as a result.

2. Kendrick Nunn, Heat

Stats: 16.2 points, 3.4 assists, 2.7 rebounds, 1 steal

Rank Last Week: 3

The undrafted rookie reclaims the second spot in our rankings after a monster performance on Tuesday against the Hawks. Nunn recorded a career-high 36 points, finishing 14-of-26 from the field while adding six rebounds and four assists. Nunn is averaging 19 points over the past week as he appears to have broken out of a recent slump that saw him post 10.5 points over a four-game stretch. He is now just one of four rookies to record at least 30 points in a game this season, joining Eric Paschall, Ja Morant and Rui Hachimura.

1. Ja Morant, Grizzlies

Stats: 19.1 points, 6.4 assists, 3.1 rebounds, 1.3 steals

Rank Last Week: 1

As previously mentioned, Morant returned on Monday after a four-game absence to lead the Grizzlies with 26 points in the win over the Warriors. Morant showed no signs of any lingering back issues during the game and fooled a number of Warriors players on a nifty pass fake for an easy bucket. The Grizzlies likely held Morant out to fully heal as the injury was not considered to be serious but it was certainly a plus to have Morant back out on the court Monday night.

Honorable Mention:

Tyler Herro, Heat: 13.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2 assists

Herro had back-to-back performances of at least 20 points over the weekend but followed that up by going scoreless Tuesday night in 23 minutes of action. Herro is tied with R.J. Barrett for fifth in scoring among rookies but his zero-point outing against the Hawks shouldn’t be a cause for concern moving forward.

P.J. Washington, Hornets: 12.2 points, 5 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1 steal

Washington hit a bit of a wall toward the end of November but has come on strong for the Hornets since then. He is averaging 14.9 points and 4.4 rebounds over his last eight games, including a 20-point performance against the Hawks on Sunday. Perhaps most impressive in that outing is Washington got to the free-throw line 13 times, converting on 12 shots.

On the Rise:

Cam Reddish, Hawks: 8.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, 1.6 assists

Reddish is fifth in scoring among all rookies over the last week, averaging 14.7 points while shooting 50% (7-of-14) from 3-point range. Reddish had a career-high 25 points on Dec. 4 as he continues to flash his potential this season.

Jaxson Hayes, Pelicans: 9 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.1 blocks

Hayes is finding consistent playing time now and is producing as a result. He is averaging 11.8 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in five December games and has scored in double figures in three straight games for the first time this season.

Matisse Thybulle, 76ers: 5.1 points, 1.5 steals, 1.3 rebounds

Thybulle recorded a career-high 20 points on Sunday and followed that up with 13 points Tuesday night against the Denver Nuggets. He is shooting 52.9% (9-of-17) from 3-point range over his last four games as he appears to be settling in with the Sixers.

Shout Out:

Luguentz Dort, Thunder

After beginning the season in the G League with the OKC Blue, Dort has spent the past three games in the NBA with the Thunder. He recorded his first bucket on Sunday and had nine points on Monday night.

Dropped Out:

R.J. Barrett, Knicks; Brandon Clarke, Grizzlies

Week 2 Power Rankings | Week 3 Power Rankings | Week 4 Power Rankings | Week 5 Power Rankings | Week 6 Power Rankings

Ja Morant is the favorite to win Rookie of the Year in updated odds

With Zion Williamson sidelined, Morant has established himself as the top rookie of the class after his tremendous start.

Memphis Grizzlies first-round pick Ja Morant is the favorite to win the 2019-20 NBA Rookie of the Year award, according to online sportsbook SportsBetting.ag.

With Zion Williamson sidelined this season following knee surgery, Morant has established himself as the top rookie of the class after his tremendous start.

The second overall pick is averaging 19.1 points, 6.4 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 18 games this season. Morant is leading all rookies in scoring average and assists, while he is fourth in 3-point percentage (43.2) among first-year players to appear in at least 10 games.

While Morant is the favorite now in the updated odds released on Tuesday, Eric Paschall and Kendrick Nunn have gained traction in the race after their strong starts to the season. The two players are second and third in scoring, respectively, among all rookies.

The full odds for the top seven, via SportsBetting:

  1. Ja Morant: +150
  2. Eric Paschall: +500
  3. Kendrick Nunn: +500
  4. Zion Williamson: +500
  5. R.J. Barrett: +600
  6. Rui Hachimura: +1000
  7. Coby White: +1600

As the NBA recently crossed over the quarter mark of the season, the odds will certainly continue to fluctuate as players separate themselves from the rest of the pack.

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Ja Morant returns from injury to score a team-high 26 points in win

The second overall led the Grizzlies to victory on Monday, finishing 8-of-14 from the field, including 3-of-5 from 3-point range.

Memphis Grizzlies rookie Ja Morant returned from a four-game absence to score a team-high 26 points in a 110-102 win over the Golden State Warriors on Monday night.

Morant was held out of action due to back soreness after taking a fall into a baseline camera operator on Nov. 25. The second overall led the Grizzlies to victory on Monday, finishing 8-of-14 from the field, including 3-of-5 from 3-point range, while dishing out seven assists.

Morant showed no signs of any lingering back issues during the game. The injury was not considered to be serious as the Grizzlies have taken a cautious approach with injuries this season. Morant was electric throughout the night and even fooled several Warriors players on a pass fake late in the game.

Morant made the Warriors on a number of open 3-point shot attempts. Defenders often went under on the pick-and-rolls, which left Morant open for the shot. After a brief time off the court, Morant continued to show off his craftiness and ability to take over games.

Next up for the Grizz: A road matchup with the Suns on Wednesday.

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Ja Morant’s Grizzlies wreck Warriors chance at a win-streak, 110-102

The Golden State Warriors got a taste of why Ja Morant is considered a favorite to win Rookie of the Year.

After beating the Chicago Bulls in the final chapter of a five-game road trip, the Golden State Warriors had a chance to start their first winning streak in 2019 with the Memphis Grizzlies coming to town. The Grizzlies lost nine of their last 10 before heading to San Francisco, while the Warriors were getting healthy for the first time in 2019— everything seemed to be lining up in Golden State’s favor.

The Grizzlies had a different plan— to shoot the three-pointer, and the Warriors couldn’t stop them. The Grizzlies cashed 15 threes on a whopping 40 attempts from beyond the arc. Seven different Memphis players knocked down three-pointer’s, including both of the Grizzlies bigs, Jaren Jackson and Jonas Valanciunas.

The Warriors could never match the Grizzlies shooting effort, only shooting 38 percent from the field, but where Golden State got hurt was turning the basketball over. The Warriors couldn’t get out of their own way, ending the night with 17 turnovers.

Golden State tried to scrap back into the game, cutting the Grizzlies lead to single digits in the final minutes. However, a stellar fourth quarter by Ja Morant sealed the Memphis 110-102 win.

Battle for Rookie of the Year

The days of Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph traveling to the Bay Area for a playoff matchup against Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are gone. Instead, the Grizzlies-Warriors matchup headlined a pair of rookies. Both Morant and Eric Paschall are Rookie of the Year contenders and went toe-to-toe Monday night.

Although there was hype, it was a one-person show with the Memphis rookie landing the knockout punch. Morant dropped 25 points with seven assists, while Paschall had a disappointing performance, only tallying five points and two rebounds.

Morant’s best moment of the night came on a flashy dribbling clinic that left Alec Burks looking in a different direction. Paschall will get another crack at Morant when the Warriors head to Memphis on January 12.

Jacob Evans Returns

After missing the past 21-games, second-year guard, Jacob Evans returned to the floor for Golden State, giving the Warriors their most substantial bench since the opening week of the season. Evans only totaled 11-minutes, adding two points, one rebound, and one assist. Evans will slowly be worked back into Steve Kerr’s rotation as he continues to get his feet under him in his sophomore NBA season.

Draymond Green Season High

Draymond Green tied his 2019 season-high in scoring with 16 points against the Memphis Grizzlies, a positive sign for the Warriors All-Star. Green was aggressive on the offensive side, which has turned into a rare occasion for the former Defensive Player of the Year. If the Warriors want to hang in games, while Curry and Thompson are out, they need Green to be active offensively.

With the 2019-20 season looking like a developmental year for Golden State, Green should push to work on his offensive game before next season when the Splash Brothers return healthy.

Grizzlies Ja Morant (back) to return vs. Warriors after 4-game absence

The Grizzlies will get their Rookie of the Year candidate, Ja Morant back from injury just in time to face the Golden State Warriors.

In 2019, the Golden State Warriors have had 24-attempts at victory, yet have only registered five wins. One of those five wins came against the Memphis Grizzlies. The Grizzlies, similarly to Golden State, are struggling in 2019 with a 6-16 record. Still, there is faith in Memphis because of their stellar rookie, Ja Morant.

Morant’s the perennial favorite to win Rookie of the Year, averaging 18.6 points and 6.4 assists per game. Morant has four-games of scoring 25-points or more for Memphis this season, with one 30-point game.

The only hitch in Morant’s impressive debut season has been a sore back injury that’s taken him out of the past couple of games. The Murray State product looks to be back healthy just in time for the Grizzlies trip to Chase Center in San Francisco.

After going through shootaround, Memphis head coach told reporters in Golden State that Morant would return to the starting lineup after missing the previous four games.

Morant will get to square up with the Warriors own Rookie of the Year candidate, Eric Paschall. The tandem of Paschall and Morant lead all rookies in several categories, including points per game.

The last time the two met, Paschall and Golden State left Memphis with a 114-95 win. Morant dropped 20-points to Paschall’s 17, but the Warriors rookie was more efficient, shooting 46.7 percent from the field to Morant’s 35 percent.

When the 2019-20 season is over, and the Rookie of the Year is crowned, both Paschall and Morant will be in the conversation for the honor.

Steve Kerr joins Ja Morant in concern of location of camera operators

The response comes just two weeks after Grizzlies rookie Ja Morant crashed into a courtside camera operator on Nov. 25 against the Pacers.

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr stated on Monday night his concern with the placement of baseline camera operators in arenas throughout the NBA.

The response comes just two weeks after Memphis Grizzlies rookie Ja Morant crashed into a courtside camera operator on Nov. 25 against the Indiana Pacers. Morant appeared to take a knee in the back in the collision, causing the rookie to eventually miss four games due to back spasms.

As the Grizzlies face the Warriors on Monday, Morant is expected to return to the court but the guard recently expressed his concern with the layout of the baseline area. Kerr echoed the same concern prior to playing Morant and the Grizzlies.

Following the gruesome leg injury to Paul George August 2014, the NBA mandated that teams add an extra foot of space on both sides of the basket stanchion, increasing the total area of open space to four feet.

The league also required at least six feet in between the base of the basket support to the baseline. In addition, the number of camera operators also decreased from 40 to 20 with 10 allowed on each side of the basket.

It is unclear what potential changes could be made to the baseline area of the court midseason. The NBA has often taken a proactive approach to player safety so the conversation could be revisited in the offseason.

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Ja Morant is ‘probable’ to return Monday night for the Grizzlies

After missing the past four games due to back soreness, Grizzlies rookie Ja Morant appears ready to return on Monday against the Warriors.

Memphis Grizzlies rookie Ja Morant is probable to return Monday night against the Golden State Warriors after missing the past four games due to back soreness, the team announced.

The Grizzlies announced on Nov. 30 that Morant is considered to be week-to-week after aggravating back spasms in a game the previous night against the Utah Jazz. Morant initially suffered the injury on Nov. 25 after crashing into a baseline camera operator.

After Morant practiced with the team on Friday, Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins didn’t immediately rule out the second overall pick from playing on Saturday as the team wanted to see how he responded after practicing. Morant was eventually ruled out for that contest on Saturday.

With the Grizzlies set to take on the Warriors on Monday, it appears as though Morant will return to the court. The team will likely monitor his minutes and could even set a restriction on him as they have been cautious with injuries this season.

Prior to suffering the injury, Morant had been on a good run with the Grizzlies. In 17 games played, Morant is averaging 18.6 points, 6.4 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.4 steals this season. He currently leads all rookies in scoring average and assists.

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Jaxson Hayes, Ja Morant receive ratings bump in latest ‘NBA 2K’ update

Jaxson Hayes and Ja Morant were among the rookies to see a change in their latest NBA 2K20 rating.

New Orleans Pelicans center Jaxson Hayes and Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant were among the first-year players to receive a ratings bump in the latest ‘NBA 2K20′ update released on Friday.

After a few strong performances, Hayes’ overall rating increased by two from 74 to 76 in the latest update. He is averaging 10.6 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.6 blocks over his last five games.

Meanwhile, Morant saw his rating increase by one from 82 to 83 despite missing the last three games for the Grizzlies with back spasms after crashing into a baseline camera operator on Nov. 25.

As Hayes and Morant each saw their rating increase, several other rookies received changes in their overall mark:

  • R.J. Barrett: 78 (-1)
  • Brandon Clarke: 80 (+2)
  • Terence Davis: 76 (+2)
  • Rui Hachimura: 78 (+1)
  • Eric Paschall: 80 (+1)

After the latest ratings update, the top five rookies in the NBA are:

  1. Ja Morant: 83
  2. Zion Williamson: 81
  3. Brandon Clarke: 80
  4. Eric Paschall: 80
  5. Rui Hachimura: 78

The updated top five ratings among rookies likely isn’t a surprise to many as those players, with the exception of Williamson, have been among the top first-year players this season.

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Injury Watch: Ja Morant practiced with the Grizzles on Friday

With Morant practicing on Friday, Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins didn’t rule him out of playing on Saturday against the Jazz.

Memphis Grizzlies rookie Ja Morant participated in practice with the team on Friday in Salt Lake City ahead of a matchup against the Utah Jazz on Saturday night.

The Grizzlies announced on Nov. 30 that Morant is considered to be week-to-week after aggravating back spasms in a game the previous night against the Jazz. Morant initially suffered the injury on Nov. 25 after crashing into a baseline camera operator.

With Morant practicing with the team on Friday, Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins didn’t rule out the second overall pick from playing on Saturday against the Jazz, according to Michael Wallace of Grizzlies.com.

The news of Morant practicing is certainly encouraging after he appeared to take a knee in the back in the fall on the baseline. Morant played in the next two games for the Grizzlies before his back spasms flared up again as the team took a cautious approach in shutting him down for the past week.

The Grizzlies have shown that they will be conservative when it comes to dealing with injuries so the team could opt to hold him out of Saturday in order to get him additional time to heal up.

After Saturday, the Grizz play again on Monday.

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Rookie Wire Power Rankings: Paschall, Hachimura climb in Week 6

Rookie Wire takes a look at the top rookies through the sixth week of the 2019-20 NBA season.

With another week in the books, the rooks continue to show out.

From Eric Paschall to Rui Hachimura, the class had a number of outstanding performances and they show no signs of slowing. Players continue to progress in their development and it has made for some entertaining basketball.

Rookie Wire will compile the rankings of the five best players each week based on how they performed on the court. The rankings are not for Rookie of the Year purposes but, rather, to illustrate the top-performing players week to week.

Here are the Rookie Wire Power Rankings for Week 6:

All stats are through games played on Dec. 3

5. Rui Hachimura, Wizards

Stats: 13.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists

Rank Last Week: Honorable Mention

Rui Hachimura has seemingly broken out of his recent slump and has done so in a big way. The ninth overall pick is averaging 16.8 points, 7.3 rebounds and two assists over his last four games, including a career-high 30 points on Sunday against the Los Angeles Clippers. His performance garnered praise from the likes of Paul George and Kawhi Leonard as they believe Hachimura can be one of the best long-term rookies from this draft class.

4. Tyler Herro, Heat

Stats: 14 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2 assists

Rank Last Week: 5

Herro is still fifth among all rookies in scoring at 14 points per game. He recently drained a career-high five 3-pointers on Friday en route to 19 points against the Golden State Warriors. Herro is just a hair under 40% shooting from beyond the arc, something the Heat will certainly need throughout the season in order to maintain their strong start. The group is coming off of an impressive overtime win over the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday and they appear to be among the best in the Eastern Conference.

3. Kendrick Nunn, Heat

Stats: 15.7 points, 3.4 assists, 2.5 rebounds, 1.2 steals

Rank Last Week: 2

Despite being named the Eastern Conference Player of the Month, Nunn has struggled as of late. The undrafted guard is averaging 10.5 points over his last four games while he is shooting just 29.3% from the field, including 17.9% (5-of-28) from 3-point range. Nunn has certainly played like one of the top rookies to this point of the season but has gone cold over the past week or so. Given the work he has put in, it seems reasonable to believe he’ll snap out of his slump and return to the player that put up 16.4 points per game in October and November.

2. Eric Paschall, Warriors

Stats: 17.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists

Rank Last Week: 3

With injuries decimating the Warriors, Paschall has been arguably the MVP of the team this season. He has been among the hottest first-year players after averaging 20.8 points over his last four games on 53.8% shooting from the field, including 62.5% (5-of-8) from 3-point range. Paschall has utilized his strength and athleticism to score over defenders and has also used his mid-range shot to add to his array of offensive skills. The injury to Ja Morant could potentially open the door for Paschall in the Rookie of the Year race and he could be the top player to benefit should Morant miss extended time.

1. Ja Morant, Grizzlies

Stats: 18.6 points, 6.4 assists, 3.2 rebounds, 1.4 steals

Rank Last Week: 1

Though Morant is considered to be week-to-week with back spasms, the Western Conference Rookie of the Month held onto the top spot–for now. After crashing into a courtside camera operator on Nov. 25, Morant played in the next two games for the Grizzlies before aggravating his back injury on Friday against the Utah Jazz. Morant still put up 15.5 points, 7.5 assists, four rebounds and 2.5 steals in two games while dealing with a sore back. The Grizzlies are certainly going to be cautious with his injury so his status moving forward will be worth monitoring.

Honorable Mention:

R.J. Barrett, Knicks: 14.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.3 steals

Barrett appeared to be back on track after recording at least 16 points in three straight games but followed that up with a two-point performance on Monday in which he missed all nine shot attempts. Even worse than that, the Knicks lost by 44 points to the Milwaukee Bucks. The up-and-down swings will likely stay throughout the season, as is the case with most rookies, but Barrett has at least proven to be entertaining to watch. The same can’t be said for the rest of the team.

De’Andre Hunter, Hawks: 12.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, 1.7 assists

After a slow start to the season, Hunter is up to eighth in scoring among rookies. He is coming off of an 18-point performance Monday on his 22nd birthday but suffered a dislocated right index finger and is listed as doubtful to play Wednesday against the Brooklyn Nets. In any case, the injury doesn’t sound too severe so he may not miss much time, if any at all.

Brandon Clarke, Grizzlies: 11.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists

Clarke has been among the most efficient players in the league this season and has emerged as a key contributor for the Grizzlies. Unfortunately, Clarke is also considered to be week-to-week after aggravating a left oblique injury. Clarke re-injured himself in the first half on Monday and did not return to the game. While Clarke could miss a few games, he has still been a bright spot this season.

On the Rise:

P.J. Washington, Hornets

After a strong start to the season, Washington trailed off a bit but has gotten back on track. Over his last four games, Washington is averaging 15.3 points and four rebounds. The Hornets are 6-1 when Washington records at least 15 points.

Darius Garland, Cavaliers

Garland has emerged for the Cavaliers over the past few weeks as he appears to be settling in. Head coach John Beilein believes Garland is beginning to really grasp the offense and that has resulted in improved play from the fifth overall pick.

Dropped Out:

Coby White, Bulls

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