Ja Morant made his feelings clear after leading the Memphis Grizzlies to a 131-114 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night. The star guard didn’t hold back when discussing the rivalry with L.A.
“I don’t like them,” Morant said, according to ESPN. “They knocked me out of the playoffs. And then last year we had a game, and they came here and popped it on our home floor when I was in street clothes. I wasn’t tonight.”
Morant was sidelined during the Grizzlies’ 123-120 loss to the Lakers in April due to a season-ending shoulder injury. In that game, LeBron James had a dominant 37-point performance, including a breakaway dunk late in the game. The Lakers had also defeated Memphis in the first round of the 2022 playoffs.
Wednesday’s matchup saw Morant taking charge against the Lakers, especially in the closing minutes of the first half. He exchanged “too small” gestures with LeBron James after scoring, with both players exchanging the taunt during key moments. Morant was also assessed a technical foul during the game.
“I think I did the ‘too small’ to somebody who was too small,” Morant commented. “(James) came back and did it respectfully. … He did it, and I don’t back down from nobody. I don’t care who you are.”
Morant emphasized his role in setting the tone for the game, saying, “My job was to just come back. I got my bucket, and I set the tone. My teammates fed off of it, and you see what happens. Top dog in our league. You take out the top dog, who else you fear?”
Morant scored 20 points in the win but was forced to leave the game in the third quarter due to a hamstring injury.
LeBron James brushed off the back-and-forth, attributing it to competitive spirit. “Just two guys from the inner city who love to compete,” he said. “That’s how we all grew up, playing on the blacktop, playing outside, competing at a high level when there was no cameras around.”
