The Memphis Grizzlies continued their streak on Friday night, defeating the visiting Brooklyn Nets 135-119. The victory marked their fourth consecutive win, boosting their record to 18-8 and propelling them to the second spot in the Western Conference standings.
While the Grizzlies’ strong team performance was notable, Ja Morant stole the spotlight with a buzzer-beater moment and a bit of drama. Just before halftime, Morant nailed a mid-range shot as the clock expired, giving Memphis a 69-56 lead. Instead of celebrating with his team, Morant turned and locked eyes with Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez, delivering an intense stare-down that quickly caught the crowd’s attention.
After the game, Morant addressed the incident. Morant downplayed the situation, explaining it was all in good fun.
Ja Morant’s response:
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) December 14, 2024
“I was trolling, just to get them riled up, and I did… I didn't say nothing crazy. If you look at the video, I was just saying 'yeah.' If 'yeah' is disrespectful or makes you feel some type of way, then hey, so be it.”
(via @erikslater_) https://t.co/cA6yGYo4Xh pic.twitter.com/cCLZNG362N
“I was trolling, just to get them riled up, and I did. I didn’t say nothing crazy. If you look at the video, I was just saying ‘yeah.’ If ‘yeah’ is disrespectful or makes you feel some type of way, then hey, so be it,” Morant said via Nets reporter Erik Slater.
Jordi Fernandez Calls Out Ja Morant’s Stare-Down, Labels It ‘Disrespectful’
Jordi Fernandez also faced questions on Ja Morant’s stare at him after the game. Fernandez addressed the moment, expressing his displeasure with Morant’s actions.
“I will never speak to other players, and I don’t want other players to speak to me. If they want to be nice, obviously it’s part of the game. If not, I don’t want any interaction. I think it’s disrespectful. It’s not part of the game. That’s what we are projecting to everybody else,” Fernandez said.
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Morant scored 28 points, ten assists, and seven rebounds against Brooklyn. The Grizzlies’ next game is on Sunday against the Los Angeles Lakers.
