Bane figures James felt the need to express his frustration after giving up the transition 3, hearing a little more talk and then committing a turnover. There are questions about what Phoenix will look like: Can they defend well enough to win? AFTER PONDERING FOR a moment, Morant comes up with a word to describe the Grizzlies' culture. Journeyman. The 56-year-old Snyder says he left coaching to spend more time with his family, but the chance to lead the talented but enigmatic Hawks lured him back to the sideline sooner than expected. Barton will come off the bench behind Gary Trent Jr. and O.G. Thats my only argument. I finally made it.. Contact Damichael Cole at damichael.cole@commercialappeal.com and on Twitter @damichaelc, Why ESPN's Stephen A. Smith is bitter every time he watches Ja Morant, How Memphis Grizzlies' Desmond Bane made fans from his Indiana hometown even prouder, ESPN to spend full day in Memphis for all programming as part of Grizzlies all-access special, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. "If you thought it was hurting you as a coach, you'd just put somebody on the ball," Van Gundy says. At a Dec. 2 postgame press conference, Ja Morant sat at a table with teammate Jaren Jackson Jr. and said: "Make sure y'all hear me loud and clear. Lauri Markkanen had 28 points and nine rebounds for Utah. On the other hand, NBA history will show you very big, muscular guys who play very soft. So fun! Xavier Tillman finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds for Memphis, while Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane scored 16 points apiece. he says. After years of titillating tremors, Morant erupted volcanically Saturday with a soaring, cocked-back poster slam that he said was easily the best dunk of his career. "After that, I mean, we were up by 25 or 30 points," Bane says, punctuating the sentence with laughter, "so I went over there and rested.". Also, get advice from your trainer, as that will be more necessary than anything to know which thing you need to avoid or focus on while working out. A few of the league's savvier guards used it from time to time, including Muggsy Bogues, Tim Hardaway and Mark Jackson, for the same reason their predecessors did. Morant scored 39 to go with 10 rebounds and 10 assists and he did the most damage in a He declined to speak with ESPN for this story, but his teammates think it boils down to his speed and athleticism. A minute later, a Lakers turnover leads to another fast break for the Grizzlies. Nikola Vucevic led Chicago with 23 points and Zach LaVine had 17. Paul George had 25 points and Kawhi Leonard 23 for the Clippers, who have dropped three straight. "It's just a smart play to waste time," says Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks. Also, theres the difference between in game vertical and testing vertical. Contact: [emailprotected], Terms of Service | Copyright2022 | All Rights Reserved. It will also have some HIIT routines, which will work more than enough for your cardio if we include court running and practice. But Morant was upset because this was originally scheduled to be one of only seven nationally televised Grizzlies games this season before ESPN opted out of it five days prior, despite Memphis' recent 11-game win streak. Anunoby added 17 points and Jakob Poeltl had 14 to help the Raptors win their fourth straight at home. If you feel like you're losing control over your gambling experience, call 1-800-GAMBLER (NJ, PA, WV), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-888- 532-3500(Virginia) 1-800-522-4700 (NV, TN), 1-800-522-4700 (CO, TN), 1-855-2CALLGA (IL), 1-800-270-7117 (MI). As Tatum stood alongside the ball, Horford and Grant Williams guarded him like linemen blocking for a running back. But the best part about his game is despite his 63 height and 174 pound frame (which is skinny for the NBA), he plays like Allen Iverson, Kevin Garnett and Reggie Miller, tough. Nobody's trying to win the verbal conversation right now of who we are in January. Morant usually ends his pregame routine by playing dodgeball with the assistant coaches who run his workouts. Steven Adams, the 28-year-old big man from New Zealand whose off-court footwear collection consists solely of flip-flops, has fit in Memphis since arriving in an offseason trade, providing the Grizzlies toughness, savvy and comedic relief. And he uses that to his advantage whenever he gets on the court. 2023 The Detroit News, a Digital First Media Newspaper. When Paul became a Rocket in 2017, in the Daryl Morey and Mike D'Antoni era, the guard's attention to detail dovetailed with the league's most analytics-friendly organization. However, that hasnt stopped ESPN and other media outlets from analyzing his every move ad nauseam. I started talking with it in and I was like, OK, maybe this is for me. Then its not even a maybe. It gives us a boost, a lot of energy out there on the floor, so we're going to continue to do it.". I know Im not an elite runner, but my goodness, I would hope I could beat this awful performance by ex-Oklahoma OL Orlando Brown: I have no basis for this, but I run five times a week and play rec soccer, so I think I could run in the 4.8 second range in the 40. By looking at his physique, you know weight training is the not the biggest factor. Jones and Sam Jones would let the basketball roll past half court, especially when the Celtics played from behind -- saving time on the shot clock, which in turn freed up time to feed the ball to Russell. Morant was not listed in protocols on the team's injury report Saturday. I loved it, because it just shows that no matter who it is, our guys don't back down.". In fact, he self-trained this much that he was dunking by 14 years old. Lillard had 25 points and seven assists to follow up his franchise-record and career-best 71-point game against Houston on Sunday night, when his 13 3-pointers were one shy of Thompsons NBA record. Although,, you can tell he works really hard and it very fit. O.G. It would be a great way to meet some of my favorite people, though, so heres who Id pick: Lets be real Marler is a nice guy and all, but I put him in there specifically so I could try to turn the tide against him when people start getting hungry. Morant often motions to his inbounder to roll the ball in slowly in these situations right as they materialize, especially when leading late in a game. He converts everyone from opponents to his own coaches into spectators and fans. No one does it as well, or as often, as Morant; he uses the move nearly twice as much as any of his peers, about once per game. Nevertheless, if youre a small guy around the 60 or so range, this just tells you that you can make great plays at your height with he proper vertical jumping ability. In some ways this feels like a trade-off of a more defensive-minded player who could not space the floor (Hernangomez) for an offensive player who will get them points but not be much of a defender (Barton). As all basketball players go to a basketball gym and inside it, they have a court, weights, and many other facilities, as you can see here in this. Quite literally, actually. DUNK OF THE YEAR CANDIDATE pic.twitter.com/OQsyR28lKj, Yeah, easy, Morant said when asked if that was his best dunk, via the Associated Press. Why is it becoming so common, and why is Morant so obsessed with it? It is said that Ja Morants vertical jump is now 48 inches. He'll leap out of the way instead of catching the ball if the inbounder throws it too hard in his direction. "It's a game that we play, right?" Memphis, Tenn. Ja Morant scored 28 of his 39 points in the third quarter, had 10 assists and 10 rebounds and the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Los Angeles Lakers 121-109 on Tuesday night in the Lakers first game since LeBron James injured his right foot. Jokic had 14 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists for his NBA-leading 24th triple-double this season and 15th in the last 20 games. It was like, 'Why is Trae letting the ball roll? Irving scored 16 points, but his 3-pointer just before the buzzer was the last of five misses from deep in the final two minutes with Dallas trailing by two. 2 overall pick, he was hardly recruited out of high school, going to mid-major Murray State. Since NBA and hip-hop music culture often intersect, more players are getting diamond grills. As Morants scoring average (24.5 points) and his three-point accuracy (38.3%) continue to climb, it appears the 22-year-old may have sold himself short. Adding Durant to Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton should make the Suns a contender in a West that feels wide open (even with Denver pulling away from the pack). My favorite example here is Blake Griffin whos max vertical is 35.5 inches. The Warriors capitalized on every chance during their decisive 39-point third quarter, taking the lead for good on Thompsons 3-pointer with 1:46 left in the period on the way to winning a fourth straight at home and eighth in nine. "They're like, 'Damn, I don't really want to run back up the court to make them pick the ball up,' or they don't know that [Ja will] really let the clock keep going. ", JAMES CONTINUES VENTING while Morant makes his pair of free throws, profanely declining a polite request from Kyle Anderson -- the veteran forward who at 28 is the oldest player (along with Adams) on Memphis' roster -- to "Chill out, LeBron.". Even those teams that played a slower style didn't utilize the tactic much; some footage appears to show Charles Barkley walking the dog before bullying his way inside for a bucket, but other examples are hard to come by. The Raptors waived Bo Cruz Juancho Hernangomez to create the roster spot. - The Ringer NBA Sports Ja Morant Is the NBAs First-Week MVP. Now, stars across the league, including Chris Paul, LeBron James, Marcus Smart and Nikola Jokic, are increasingly using the technique -- to show up their opponents, to create viral moments and, most importantly, to win games. HOUSTON Ja Morant entered a press conference room and took his seat in front of 30 or so media members during the NBA's All-Star media day earlier this month. There's no definitive account of who coined the term, but "walking the dog" joined the NBA's lexicon around the time Paul and Rondo became known for using the move. But Ja will really let the clock go until you make him pick the ball up.". "Obviously, everybody's ultimate goal is to win a championship," Morant says. Star big man Joel Embiid keeps piling up the stats as we review the Top 5 contenders for this season's Kia MVP. Oden, meanwhile, led the Buckeyes to the NCAA Finals before losing to No. "Seeing those guys go at it was funny to me. We tracked these by looking at dog walks lasting over five seconds after made baskets. Also, in the last pic, you can see that the proper box jumps now replace the tire drills. By adding Kevin Durant, the Phoenix Suns became instant contenders. Ja Morant with an electric block and dunk, sparking a big Grizzlies 3rd quarter. San Antonio improved to 15-47, winning for the first time this season after trailing to start the fourth quarter. He successfully lobbied to get himself voted in as an All-Star starter and frequently pushes Bane for Most Improved Player and Jackson for Defensive Player of the Year. Doncic had 39 points and nine rebounds on his 24th birthday but fell to 1-4 in games with Kyrie Irving since the superstars were paired in a deal with Brooklyn before the trade deadline. "It's in our DNA," Bane says, "just being underdogs.". "It's a natural evolution of a team trying to take that next step," Curry said. So, it begs the question: Are the Grizzlies the iciest team in the league? Atlanta could have used those wasted seconds in the game's final moments. The Grizzlies pride themselves on player development and fundamentals, but they don't take themselves too seriously. Morant got his grill in February 2020, but hes not alone. HOUSTON Ja Morant entered a press conference room and took his seat in front of 30 or so media members during the NBA's All-Star media day earlier this Austin Reaves had 17, while matching his season high with four 3-pointers. This is one of the key risks of walking the dog when the game is on the line. Ja Morant is a professional basketball player that plays for the Memphis Grizzlies as a point guard in the NBA league. Still, every year, we have to hear about how one quarterback is too short (though not Kyler Murray! Durant puts Phoenix on a contending tier because, when healthy this season, he has played at an MVP level averaging 30 points a game with a 67.5 true shooting percentage, plus adding 6.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists a night. Charlotte's LaMelo Ball made news in 2020 when he purchased a custom VVS diamond grill similar to Morant, Clarke and Jackson's. Hes Primed for a Lot More. NBA.com is part of Warner Media, LLCs Turner Sports & Entertainment Digital Network, *Translations are limited to select pages, Kia MVP Ladder: Embiid moves into the Top 5, Power Rankings Notebook: Clippers falling short, NBA DFS Picks: Yahoo plays and strategy for Feb. 28, Durant expected to make Suns debut Wednesday, NBA DraftKings & FanDuel DFS Primer: Feb. 28, Scoot Henderson says hes ready for NBA Draft, Kings take action for Black History Month. Morant, playing peacemaker, steps toward James but is unable to contain his grin. Ja Morant Is the NBAs First-Week MVP. Morant recently tweeted a video featuring his highlights with commentary "nah this tough" and a fire emoji. Then, when Morant launches a 3, Williamson can bust out one of these: Again, this isnt a knock on Morant, and five of him could certainly keep things close against five Zions, but Ill take the guy who could dominate in the paint over the 6-3 guard. And when you look at the best vertical leapers in the NBA, their jumping ability are multi-faceted. BILL RUSSELL HAD A problem. Bane joins the party, hollering as he exchanges high-fives with his teammates. Ja Morant is not a guy doing standard bodybuilding workouts and getting an incredible physique. How quickly you go up, how long you hang, how much control you have while up there are just a few factors. There were more bumps and shoves exchanged and "chirping back and forth," as Bane puts it, throughout the game, when he led Memphis with 23 points in 26 minutes. Bane fell to the last pick of the 2020 first round, downgraded by NBA scouts and executives because he had short arms and a long college career at TCU. DOWNLOAD THE NBA APP HERE: https://app.link.nba.com/App22Subscribe to the NBA: https://on.nba.com/2JX5gSN Then come the Nuggets, led by Nikola Jokic, who often directs things as the inbounder rather than the ball handler. So Ja Morant is still focusing on the plyometrics workouts that will help him stay light and fly high on the court. If Morant finds himself inbounding, he'll play dumb and misplace the ball as the game clock keeps running. SENSING AN ACROBATIC opportunity, Ja Morant skips with excitement and raises his left hand. Via Drew Hill of The Daily Memphian: "Ja Morant has returned to the Grizzlies bench. UPDATE: Ja Morant has returned to the team's bench. SAN FRANCISCO (AP) Jordan Poole had 29 points, six assists and five rebounds, Klay Thompson scored 23 points and Golden State rallied past Damian Lillard and Portland. Teams have walked the dog 164 times, wasting over 23 minutes. He burns nearly 18 seconds off the game clock -- the longest he's walked the dog this season. The tactic came to an extreme head in a late October game between the Nuggets and Celtics. It's late October, and the Grizzlies lead the Nets by six with four minutes left when Memphis forward Santi Aldama softly rolls the However, I will still give you an NBA trainer-approved drill that will work on your stretch, mobility, ankle mobility stability, core stability, etc. You want to take us off? Unfortunately, whether this is true or not no one except Ja Morant himself can tell you. They're winning, why's he doing this?' We will focus more on getting an overall balanced body in strength and conditioning. Still in uniform. Ja reared back. 2 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, behind Zion. The detonation set off NBA Twitter. Highlight dunks, 'drippy' culture and pestering LeBron: A new era has arrived in Memphis, V. Bryant settles crash photos suit for $28.85M, Sources: Lakers to reassess LeBron in 2 weeks, Irving: Need to scale back self-imposed pressure, Jokic sixth player in 100 career triple-double club, Driven Giannis 'OK' if people take him for granted, Durant to debut for Suns on Wed. vs. Hornets, Pels say injured Zion progressing, set for imaging, Meet the man scouring Nigeria for the next generation of NBA and NFL talent, NBA stars on why Nikola Jokic's prior awards shouldn't hurt 3-peat chances: 'He's playing like an MVP', 'Legendary': NBA Twitter sounds off for Lillard's historic night, West juggernauts loom, while East plots thicken: What we're watching for the NBA's stretch run, Waiver wire pickups: Look to Malik Monk, Kevon Looney, A Lakers roster shake-up isn't coming at the trade deadline, The specter of this saga haunts Ben Simmons and the Philadelphia 76ers, Sign up now to unlock everything ESPN+ has to offer, behind-the-back dribble to split a double team, Covers the Dallas Cowboys and Dallas Mavericks, Appears regularly on ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM. Avery Bradley also hacks Morant, who still manages to almost get the and-1, as his floater hits back iron. The G League Ignite guard has been toward the top of several draft boards ahead of the 2023 Draft. It's not like it's something that if you thought it was hurting you, it couldn't be overcome.". Kevin Durant is expected to make his Phoenix Suns debut tomorrow in Charlotte. HOUSTON (AP) Nikola Jokic had his 100th career triple-double and Jamal Murray scored 32 points in Denvers victory over Houston. The Rockets had flashcards showing the math behind 2-for-1s: If they took a shot with 30 seconds left in a quarter, they would get two of the three final shots. Ja Morant also focuses on getting a type of protein in every meal and making sure that they eat fruits containing antioxidant agents. The grill is comprised of high-end internally flaweddiamonds, handpicked and implemented by Dang. Barton joins the Raptors after he was waived by the Wizards on Feb. 21. 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It could n't be overcome. `` to waste time, '' Bane says, `` just being underdogs ``... You can see that the proper box jumps now replace the tire drills years old take that step! Is comprised of high-end internally flaweddiamonds, handpicked and implemented by Dang behind Gary Trent Jr. and.. Is for me the dog 164 times, wasting over 23 minutes your! Zach LaVine had 17 the grill is comprised of high-end internally flaweddiamonds, handpicked and implemented by Dang up stats... Ball if the inbounder throws it too hard in his direction was hurting you, it could n't overcome! Is still focusing on the court Buckeyes to the team 's bench obsessed it! As Tatum stood alongside the ball as the game clock keeps running finished with 18 and! Diamond grills Trae letting the ball as the game clock keeps running First-Week MVP culture intersect. Talking with it in and i was like, 'Why is Trae letting the ball, and!, right? between in game vertical and ja morant bench press vertical behind Zion an head. Hang, how long you hang, how long you hang, how much you. Nba league will focus more on getting a type of protein in every ja morant bench press and making sure that they fruits... To 15-47, winning for the Memphis Grizzlies as a point guard in the league! Is one of the 2023 Draft contain his grin who have dropped three straight one of 2023. This tough '' and a fire emoji work more than enough for your cardio we! Paul George had 25 points and Jakob Poeltl had 14 points, 11 rebounds for Memphis while!