Tag: Ja Morant

Ja Morant is a game-time decision to play on Wednesday vs. Clippers

The second overall pick took a scary fall in the second quarter on Monday night against the Pacers after crashing into a camera operator.

Memphis Grizzlies rookie Ja Morant is a game-time decision to play on Wednesday night against the Los Angeles Clippers due to back soreness, head coach Taylor Jenkins said prior to the matchup.

The second overall pick took a scary fall in the second quarter on Monday night against the Indiana Pacers after crashing into a baseline camera operator. Morant had to be helped off of the court by the medical staff and even pointed to his back at one point though he did return in the third quarter to finish out the game.

He finished with 19 points and 10 assists in the 126-114 loss.

Morant and the Grizzlies likely feel fortunate that the rookie was not seriously hurt in the incident. The fact that he was able to return to finish the game was a good sign for his status moving forward.

Morant is averaging 19.1 points, 6.3 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 1.2 steals this season for the Grizzlies. He leads all rookies in scoring and assists through 15 games played.

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Rookie Wire Power Rankings: Herro, Hunter rise up the ranks in Week 5

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

The 2019 NBA Draft class has continued to impress this season.

The group has produced some fascinating storylines thus far with the emergence of several under-the-radar players while the top players selected are playing as expected.

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 5:

Week 1 Power Rankings | Week 2 Power Rankings | Week 3 Power Rankings | Week 4 Power Rankings

All stats are through games played on Nov. 26

5. Tyler Herro, Heat

Stats: 14.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists

Rank Last Week: Honorable Mention

Herro returns to the rankings for the first time since Week 1 after showing out recently for the Heat. The 13th overall pick is back up to fifth in scoring among all rookies after recording 18 points in three of his last four games. Herro has proven to be able to get hot this season and is seemingly always a candidate to go off, thus making him one of the top rookies to watch on any given night. His swag, as Jimmy Butler said, is one reason to tune in.

4. Brandon Clarke, Grizzlies

Stats: 12.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.1 blocks

Rank Last Week: 4

While Ja Morant has captured the bulk of the headlines in Memphis, and rightfully so, Brandon Clarke has also emerged onto the scene. While he is seventh in scoring, Clarke gets it done all over the court and his shot selection has truly been a revelation. He is one of the most efficient players in the league after shooting 63.6% from the field and has developed one of the nicest floaters in the NBA today. An expanded role in the Grizzlies’ system could increase his numbers but he has flourished to this point of the season.

3. Eric Paschall, Warriors

Stats: 16.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists

Rank Last Week: 3

The second-round pick has certainly not played like one this season. Paschall is third in scoring average among rookies but is second in total points scored, trailing Ja Morant by just five. Given the number of injuries to the Warriors, Paschall has emerged as one of the top options on offense and has been a bright spot for the team thus far. He is coming off of his second double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds in a loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

2. Kendrick Nunn, Heat

Stats: 16.9 points, 3.3 assists, 2.5 rebounds, 1.3 steals

Rank Last Week: 2

Nunn is fresh off of one of his most efficient outings of the season on Monday night. The undrafted guard recorded 19 points against the Charlotte Hornets on 7-of-10 shooting from the field, including 5-of-6 from 3-point range. Nunn recently told Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype that he believes he can be a future All-Star and his first season with the Heat certainly has the makings of a successful career.

1. Ja Morant, Grizzlies

Stats: 19.1 points, 6.3 assists, 3.1 rebounds, 1.2 steals

Rank Last Week: 1

Morant turned in one of his most impressive games of the season on Saturday in a shootout with the Los Angeles Lakers. He recorded 26 points, six assists, five steals and three rebounds in the one-point loss. Morant became the first rookie since John Wall in 2010 to reach those numbers in a game. He followed that performance up with 19 points for his second career double-double on Monday in a game in which he left briefly after taking a scary fall into a courtside camera operator. He would return to the game and appeared to be fine but the Grizzlies certainly caught a break after he wasn’t seriously hurt.

Honorable Mention:

R.J. Barrett, Knicks: 15.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.4 steals

Barrett averaged 10.5 points over his last two games after sitting out Sunday due to an illness. He is still fourth in scoring among rookies and will look to get back on track Wednesday on the road against his hometown Toronto Raptors.

Coby White, Bulls: 13.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists

The boom-or-bust potential with White has been fascinating this season. He recorded a career-high 28 points on Saturday but followed that up with eight points on Monday. If he can gain some consistency this season, White would certainly have a place among the best in the rookie class. He is shooting 43.5% from 3-point range over his last four games.

Rui Hachimura, Wizards: 12.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists

Hachimura has struggled some over his last four games after shooting 43.6% from the field for the Wizards. Like White, he has also had issues with consistency at times as his playing time has been sporadic. Hachimura has shown flashes this season but, like most rookies, is still learning the ins and outs of the NBA.

On the Rise:

De’Andre Hunter, Hawks:

Suddenly, after a slow start to the season, Hunter has been on a tear recently. He scored the most points among rookies over the past week and is averaging 19.5 points over his last four games. He is shooting 50% from the field and 50% (11-of-22) from beyond the arc in that span.

Ky Bowman, Warriors:

The Warriors’ two-way rookie is averaging 19 points over his last three games, including a career-high 24 points against the Thunder on Monday. He has been on fire from all over the floor and is producing in a pinch for the injury-rattled Warriors.

Shout Out:

Tremont Waters, Celtics

With Kemba Walker out on Monday, the Celtics called up Waters from the G League. The two-way guard may have only scored seven points in his NBA debut but he made quite an impression on the team and it likely won’t be the last time we see Waters with the Celtics.

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Ja Morant finished with a double-double after taking a scary fall

Ja Morant briefly left the game on Monday night against the Pacers after taking a scary fall into a baseline camera operator.

Memphis Grizzlies rookie Ja Morant briefly left the game on Monday night against the Indiana Pacers after taking a scary fall into a baseline camera operator at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

With less than a minute left in the second quarter, Morant drove the ball up the court for a layup attempt. The shot was instead blocked and Morant took a hard fall onto the court where a camera operator was stationed.

Morant had to be helped off of the court and even pointed to his back at one point. Once play resumed after halftime, Morant eventually checked back into the game with just over nine minutes remaining in the third period.

Despite leaving the game briefly, Morant still finished with his second career double-double after recording 19 points and 10 assists in the 126-114 loss.

While his performance was certainly impressive, the Grizzlies are certainly just happy to see he wasn’t seriously hurt after appearing to hurt his back in the fall.

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Ja Morant was a finalist for Western Conference Player of the Week

The Grizzlies rookie was recognized by the NBA after averaging 23 points, six assists, three steals and 2.5 rebounds last week.

Memphis Grizzlies rookie Ja Morant was among the players nominated for the NBA Western Conference Player of the Week award, the league announced on Monday.

Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks took home the award in the West after averaging 37 points, 11.8 assists and 8.5 rebounds in four games played last week. Brooklyn Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie earned the honors in the Eastern Conference.

Morant averaged 23 points, six assists, three steals and 2.5 rebounds in two outings last week, shooting 47.2% from the field. He is coming off of a remarkable performance on Saturday against the Los Angeles Lakers in which he recorded 26 points, six assists, five steals and three rebounds. Morant became the first rookie since John Wall in 2010 to record at least 25 points, five assists and five steals in a game.

Morant has performed as perhaps the top rookie thus far this season and he has been on a tear as of late. Morant has increased his lead atop the rookie scoring list as his 19.1 points per game easily tops the 16.8 by Kendrick Nunn and Eric Paschall.

The Grizzlies return to action on Monday against the Indiana Pacers.

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Grizzlies’ Ja Morant went off in a shootout with LeBron James, Lakers

Grizzlies rookie Ja Morant dazzled in a Saturday night matchup against LeBron James and the Lakers.

Ja Morant made his presence known to the Lakers and LeBron James.

The Memphis Grizzlies rookie recorded 26 points, six assists, five steals and three rebounds in the 109-108 loss to the Lakers. He became the first rookie since John Wall in 2010 to record at least 25 points, five assists and five steals in a game.

Morant finished 10-of-16 from the field in the loss and looked to be dominant throughout the night. In one sequence, Morant picked off a pass by James, sprinted up the court in transition, faked out Kyle Kuzma and scored the open bucket.

The full highlight reel by Morant:

Morant continued his strong start to the season on Saturday as he has looked to be perhaps the best rookie to this point. He has now scored in double figures in all but two games this season and leads all rookies in scoring average with 19.1.

Though the Grizzlies lost, the matchup was one of the most exciting games of the season as it went right down to the wire. James has spoken highly of Morant in the past and has said his two sons look up to the rookie so he has certainly made a mark early on this season.

The Grizzlies return to action on Monday against the Indiana Pacers.

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LeBron James drops 30 to survive nail-biter at Grizzlies for seventh straight win

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers have matched their longest winning streak of the season with Saturday’s win at Memphis.

LeBron James had a game-high 30 points to go with six rebounds and four assists to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to their seventh straight victory, 109-108 over the Memphis Grizzlies. In addition to James, Anthony Davis had 22 points but the Lakers overall had a rough offensive night as they shot lower percentages than Memphis in every category save for free-throws. The Lakers forced 19 turnovers however and they made timely plays for the victory.

For much of Saturday night’s game against the Grizzlies, the Lakers played the part of a team that played the previous night in another city and arrived in Memphis in the wee hours of the morning. But down the stretch, Davis and James both made the requisite plays for the Lakers to match their longest winning streak of the season at seven games.

The Lakers took a 109-106 lead with just over 35 seconds left and after a rebound by Kyle Kuzma, Kuzma lost control of the ball to give the Grizzlies the ball leading to a lay-up by Ja Morant. A missed 3-pointer by James gave the Grizzlies one final shot to win the game with 1.3 sesconds left. The Grizzlies threw a full-court pass down the court and it was deflected by the Lakers to help them escape with the win.

The Lakers had a rough shooting night but they did get some solid production from the bench, especially from Dwight Howard, who had 10 points and nine rebounds on just four field goal attempts. Rajon Rondo had 14 points and six assists but he had 15 points to just three on the night for Kuzma, clearly a a reflection of the way the Grizzlies guarded the Lakers second unit.

Now the Lakers will head back west as they’ll visit the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night.

A band interrupted LeBron James’ pre-game nap attempt on Saturday

LeBron James believes the fans in Memphis pulled out some extra stops to distract the Los Angeles Lakers before Saturday’s game.

Memphis may not get enough credit when it comes to being a tough place to play, even now as the team is at the bottom of the Western Conference. Because to see what LeBron James said on Saturday afternoon, it looks like Grizzlies fans are bringing postseason energy to their disruption of the visitors.

The Lakers are in Memphis to play the second game of a back-to-back on Saturday night and after getting in after last night’s game in Oklahoma City, so LeBron tried to get a customary road trip afternoon nap before facing off against the Grizzlies later Saturday night. But James was unable to get to sleep as he tweeted about a marching band playing outside of their hotel since 9 a.m.

The Lakers are on their first extended road trip of the season and tonight will be their first road back-to-back, but you have to wonder if the Grizzlies fans poked the bear on a night that he may not have otherwise gotten up for. If they did, grab your popcorn, Saturday night should be show.

Ja Morant shows support on Twitter for Memphis’ James Wiseman

The Grizzlies rookie is the latest to show support in favor of James Wiseman and the Memphis Tigers.

Ja Morant is the latest to show support for Memphis Tigers center James Wiseman after the NCAA opted to suspend the five-star prospect for a total of 12 games for receiving improper benefits prior to enrolling at the university.

Wiseman was originally ruled ineligible to play on Nov. 8 for recruiting inducements his family received when Penny Hardaway helped the 18-year-old move from Nashville to Memphis in 2017 before he became head coach of the Tigers. Hardaway was considered to be a booster for the program after donating money to the school in 2008.

The decision by the NCAA did not sit well with many in the basketball community as the likes of LeBron James, Reggie Miller and others voiced their frustrations with the ruling. Morant was the latest to show support for Wiseman.

Morant has shown support to Memphis several times since joining the Grizzlies. He has been seen on campus at practice and has acted as an unofficial recruiter for the university, as well.

Wiseman is projected to be a top-five pick in the 2020 NBA Draft and some even believe he can potentially be the top pick. The arrival of Wiseman helped Hardaway have the No. 1 recruiting class in the country.

In three games this season, Wiseman is averaging 19.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and three blocks per game. Wiseman is eligible to return on Jan. 12 against USF.

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Eric Paschall leads all rookies in one of the NBA’s most notable stats

Eric Paschall is in the top-three in points per game, points scored and total rebounds for all-rookies in the NBA.

Eric Paschall’s rookie campaign has been one of the league’s most pleasant surprises, and now that we’re almost 20 percent of the way through the NBA season, it’s safe to say he’s no fluke.

Paschall has been a bright spot in a dismal start for the Golden State Warriors. The rookie has carried the team through the early parts of 2019. With Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry out, Paschall ranks in the top three in several statistical categories for the Warriors, including points per game (17.1) and field goal percentage (50.5).

Paschall’s 256 total points are good enough to not only lead Golden State, but rank as the most amount of points scored by any rookie this season— not bad for a guy who had 40 players picked before him in the 2019 draft.

Paschall leads lottery picks like Ja Morant (241), RJ Barrett (229) and Tyler Herro (168) in points. The Villanova product also ranks in the top-five in rookie points per game, total rebounds, rebounds per game, and field goal percentage.

Paschall has dropped two-30 point-plus games this season, Morant has one of his own, while Barrett, Herro, and Bulls rookie Coby White have zero— all players with better odds to win the 2020 Rookie of the Year according to Caesar’s sportsbook.

The most important stat for Paschall might be the fact he’s only missed one game for a team ravaged by injury. The Warriors lead the NBA in games missed due to injury, but the rookie has played in 15-of-16 games this season.

With most of the Warriors roster still on the mend, the 23-year old will continue to get opportunities to be the primary scorer when on the floor. If Paschall can continue to play at this pace, he should be a favorite to take home Rookie of the Month honors for November.

Rookie Wire Power Rankings: Ja Morant continues reign on top in Week 4

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

As the NBA heads into a new week, the rookie class appears to be settling into the 2019-20 season.

The players that have performed well to this point are continuing to make a splash and others are beginning to rise up the ranks onto the mainstream radar after some strong recent outings.

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 4:

Week 1 Power Rankings | Week 2 Power Rankings | Week 3 Power Rankings

All stats are through games played on Nov. 19

5. R.J. Barrett, Knicks

Stats: 15.8 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.3 steals

Rank Last Week: 4

While questions still linger about his workload, Barrett continues to go out and perform for the Knicks. As discussed on a recent episode of The HoopsHype Podcast with Alex Kennedy, the Knicks would like to prioritize Barrett seeing heavy minutes in order to work through his mistakes on the court to grow as a player. Barrett has shown that he isn’t afraid of the moment playing in New York and is showing maturity at his age. His efficiency has improved some after shooting 42.9% from 3-point range over his last three games and, suddenly, the Knicks have won two of three and could be on the verge of turning the corner.

4. Brandon Clarke, Grizzlies

Stats: 12.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.2 blocks

Rank Last Week: 5

Clarke continues to impress for the Grizzlies. The 21st overall pick has scored in double figures in seven straight games and is shooting 61.9% from the floor this season. As mentioned last week, Clarke is staying within his game, isn’t forcing things and is taking the shots he is comfortable with: Floaters, mid-range, layups, etc. With Ja Morant handling the bulk of the ball-handling duties, Clarke doesn’t need to be ultra-aggressive, which allows him to play his game. He is shooting 44.4% (8-of-18) from 3-point range and has been highly effective on offense.

3. Eric Paschall, Warriors

Stats: 16.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.4 assists

Rank Last Week: 3

If you had second-round pick Eric Paschall as the first rookie this season to record multiple 30-point games, give yourself a pat on the back because Paschall recently accomplished that feat on Sunday. He recorded 30 points for the Warriors in a loss to the Pelicans and previously had a career-high 34 earlier in the month. Paschall is now second among rookies in total points scored this season, trailing only Ja Morant. While the Warriors have certainly struggled this season, and could be on the verge of missing the playoffs, Paschall has emerged as a bright spot in an otherwise down season.

2. Kendrick Nunn, Heat

Stats: 17.8 points, 3.2 assists, 2.5 rebounds, 1.6 steals

Rank Last Week: 2

Kendrick Nunn has been an absolute revelation this season for the Heat and is a huge reason why they are third in the Eastern Conference. Nunn was recently nominated for the NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week award, the second time he has been a finalist, after scoring at least 20 points in three straight games. He is second among all rookies in scoring average and first in field goals made and 3-pointers made. Nunn is on pace to shatter a number of Heat franchise rookie records and doesn’t appear to be slowing down any time soon.

1. Ja Morant, Grizzlies

Stats: 18.5 points, 6 assists, 3.2 rebounds

Rank Last Week: 1

Ja Morant continues his reign atop the Power Rankings for the third straight week. The Grizzlies guard is first in scoring among all rookies and is averaging 20.3 points over his last four games. He has proven to be a player the Grizzlies can trust in late-game situations as evident by his game-winner on Nov. 13 against the Charlotte Hornets. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr compared him to Allen Iverson given his size and toughness and it is easy to see the similarities between the two. While the Grizzlies may not be a playoff team this season, Morant has them as a must-watch team on League Pass.

Honorable Mention:

Coby White, Bulls: 13.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists

The Bulls rookie has that boom-or-bust potential that daily fantasy users know about all too well. White recently became the first rookie in NBA history to hit at least six 3-pointers in consecutive games but followed that up with a seven-point effort on Saturday. White will need to work on gaining consistency this season off of the bench but he has proven to have his moments in a small sample size.

Tyler Herro, Heat: 13.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists

An ankle injury limited Herro to just two games over the last week but Herro still put up 14 points per game in those outings. Herro has proven to be a solid scoring option off of the bench that can seemingly get hot at any moment. He ranks fifth in scoring among all rookies in the early going this season.

Rui Hachimura, Wizards: 13.1 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists

Hachimura had a bit of a quiet week after managing just 14 points in his last two games after scoring 21 on Nov. 13 against the Boston Celtics. He remains a work in progress on defense but has looked to be a better scorer and shooter than he was in college last season. Though he may not be among the best rookies yet, he has had a solid start to his career.

On the Rise:

Cameron Johnson, Suns: 9.1 points, 3.2 rebounds

Suns head coach Monty Williams recently shortened his rotation, paving the way for more playing time for Johnson. He is up to 11th in scoring among rookies and his 40.4% shooting from 3-point range is seventh among first-year players that have at least eight appearances this season.

Terence Davis, Raptors: 5 points, 2.4 rebounds, 1.8 assists

While his overall numbers don’t jump off of the page, he is averaging 8.5 points per game and shooting 50% from 3-point range over his last six games as he sees more time on the court.

Shout Out:

Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Pelicans: 7.2 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists

Alexander-Walker recently had a two-game stretch in which he tallied 46 total points but followed that up with a three-point outing on Tuesday night. His playing time has been sporadic so it has likely been a bit tough to settle in but he has shown flashes recently.

Daniel Gafford, Bulls: 21 points, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks

With an injury to Luke Kornet, the second-round pick stepped up in his first extended look of the season, recording a team-high 21 points on Monday night. If he can continue seeing consistent playing time, Gafford could be a name to look out for this season.

Dropped Out:

P.J. Washington, Hornets

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