Inside the NBA reacts to Ja Morant’s Return

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THE CRIB FOR HIM. >> HE’S AT THE PUB. >> SOME MIGHT SAY THAT WE SEND OUR BEST TO THE CHUCKSTER, BUT WE, UH, WE FORGE AHEAD. UH, JOHN MORANT RETURN TO THE COURT TUESDAY NIGHT IN NEW ORLEANS. HIS 25 GAME SUSPENSION OVER AND IF YOU WOULD SUBMITTED A SCRIPT

FOR HIS FIRST GAME BACK, WHICH INCLUDED MEMPHIS FALLING BEHIND BY 24 POINTS, JOSH SCORING 27 IN THE SECOND HALF AND JOSH WINNING THE GAME AT THE BUZZER. YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN TOLD TO TAKE THAT THING BACK TO THE EDITORS, COME UP WITH SOMETHING MORE BELIEVABLE. BUT WHAT I DESCRIBED IS JUST

WHAT HAPPENED, AND WE HEAD TO NEW ORLEANS FOR THE HIGHLIGHTS OF JOHN MORANT’S RETURN TO COURT. >> LEAVE ME FOR THE MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES. >> AND EARLY ON, GOOD EFFORT . >> GIVE ME THAT. AND YOU SAID THAT WAS ENERGY AND EFFORT. >> WE’RE GOING TO BE THE FIRST THINGS.

>> THAT’S THE FIRST THING I WAS LOOKING FOR IS ENERGY AND EFFORT. BECAUSE THE TEAM THE LIGHT WAS OFF. THE LIGHT SWITCH IS OFF. WHEN YOU’RE SIX AND 19, YOU FEEL LIKE THERE’S NO HOPE IN THE TUNNEL. JOHN MORANT PUT THE LIGHT SWITCH BACK ON IN THE ARENA AND WITH HIS TEAM.

>> AND THEN NEW ORLEANS WAS TRYING TO TURN THE LIGHTS OUT. THEY WENT ON A 28 TO 2 RUN IN THE SECOND QUARTER, WHICH INCLUDED A 23 TO NOTHING STRETCH, AND THEY WERE RUNNING THE GRIZZ RIGHT OUT OF THE GYM. SHAQ YEAH, THEY HAD THREE GUYS IN DOUBLE FIGURES IN THE FIRST HALF.

>> ESPECIALLY THIS GUY RIGHT HERE MCCULLOUGH. AND THEY PLAYED WELL. YOU KNOW YOU THOUGHT THE GAME WAS WAS OVER WITH. >> YEP. THEY WERE UP 19 AT THE HALF. OH AND THEN JOSH JOSH WHO HAD SEVEN IN THE FIRST HALF HAD 13 IN THE THIRD QUARTER. >> OH THAT’S WHAT I’M

TALKING ABOUT ERNIE. WHEN I SAY THE LOOK YOU KNOW THEY WERE DOWN LIKE YOU SAID. HE JUST HAD SEVEN POINTS IN THE FIRST HALF AND IT LOOKED LIKE, YOU KNOW, THE GAME WAS OVER. BUT HE CAME OUT WITH THAT LOOK AND THAT ENERGY AND HE HELPED HIS TEAM WIN.

YOU SAW ZION FROM UNION ISLAND AND THEN AND THEN JOSH JUST DOING JOSH THINGS. >> YEAH. HE IS NO I’LL TAKE IT BACK. LEBRON JAMES IS THE BEST DOWNHILL PLAYER. HE’S HE MIGHT HE’S PROBABLY SECOND ZION HAD 13 ON THE NIGHT. >> GIANNIS IS SECOND. THEY MAINTAIN THE LEAD THIRD. BUT

HERE COMES JOHN AGAIN. >> HERE COMES HE’S RIGHT IN THAT CATEGORY. >> YOU KNOW IN TERMS OF OH OH MY GOSH STAND UP. YEAH BRANDON INGRAM HAD 34 SLIPS LAUGHS I WAS TAKING THE BAG TO GET OFF TO MAKE SOME REEBOKS JAREN JACKSON OUT OF THE CORNER FOR THREE.

>> HE HAD 24. AND THEN IT’S MORAN GAME NOW. TIED AT 111 FINISHING IN THE LANE DOWNHILL. >> BUT NEW ORLEANS INBOUNDS QUICKLY. >> AND HERB JONES ON THE OTHER END. AND WE ARE TIED AT 139 NOW. WE GOT UNDER 10S TO GO. AND HERE YOU GO. IN

HIS FIRST GAME BACK PUT HIM ON THE ISLAND. >> IT’S BEEN ONE ON ONE. >> NO FOOD THERE. >> AND AS THE CLOCK GOES TO ZEROS AND THIS IS PROBABLY THE ONLY ONE OF THE BEST COMEBACK STORIES I’VE SEEN. >> YEP. >> I DON’T KNOW HOW I DON’T

KNOW IF I WOULD HAVE LEFT JONES ON THE ISLAND BY HIMSELF, BUT JOHN MORAN, MAN UP. YEAH. ALL RIGHT, I’LL MAN UP, SEND ME A BOAT. SOME HELP. >> THAT’S HOW YOU COME BACK? >> THEY COME BACK FROM 24 DOWN. AND THIS ONE, THE BIGGEST COMEBACK OF THE

SEASON WAS 26. IN THE NBA THIS YEAR. THEY COME FROM 24 DOWN WHEN IT WON 15 TO 1 1362 POINTS IN THE PAINT FOR THE GRIZZLIES WHO CAME IN NUMBER 28 IN THE LEAGUE WITH 45. THAT’S THE KIND OF DIFFERENCE JOHN MORANT MAKES . THEY WIN IT BY TWO AT THE

HORN. THIS ONE IS CRYING FOR SOME POST GAME. YAKETY YAK YAKETY YAK. WELCOME BACK TO THE NBA. >> YOU WERE A LITTLE WINDED DOWN THE STRETCH. THAT’S TO BE EXPECTED. HOW DID YOU COPE WITH THAT? >> MY DOG I’M A DOG. I PUT WORK IN DAY OUT AND WHAT HAPPENED? I’VE BEEN PUTTING

WORK IN MAN I AIN’T PLAYING A GAME IN EIGHT MONTHS. HAD A LOT OF TIME, YOU KNOW, LEARN MYSELF A LOT OF HARD DAYS. YOU KNOW, WHERE I WENT THROUGH IT. BUT, YOU KNOW, BASKETBALL IS YOU KNOW, MY LIFE. WHAT I LOVE THERAPEUTIC FOR ME. AND I’M JUST, YOU KNOW, EXCITED TO

BE BACK. >> ALL RIGHT. WALK US THROUGH THAT LAST PLAY. >> KYLE 12. I REALLY DIDN’T WANT COACH TO CALL THE TIME OUT. THAT’S WHY I TOLD HIM. YEAH, THAT’S THE PLAY I WANTED TO RUN RIGHT THERE. THEY BELIEVE IN ME. I ACTUALLY WANTED TO GO TO TRIPLE IN THE POST. THEY

TOLD ME NO, SO I HAD TO DELIVER FOR HIM. JOHN CAME UP TO ME AND ASKED ME. >> HE WAS LIKE, YOU WANT TO RUN A POST UP FOR JAREN? AND I WAS LIKE, NO, LIKE, WE ABOUT TO GET YOU THE BALL. I’LL BE SPACED IF YOU AIN’T

GOT IT, THROW IT TO ME, I’LL SHOOT IT. >> BUT OTHER THAN THAT, GO SCORE THE BALL. HE’S VERY GOOD, YOU KNOW. >> THAT’S WHY HE’S GOT HIS SIGNATURE SHOE. >> THAT’S WHY HE GETS PAID. WHAT HE GETS PAID AND HE’S ONE OF THE BEST PLAYERS IN THE NBA.

>> AND HE’S FRESH. YOU KNOW HE’S GOING TO BE AGGRESSIVE. HE’S GOING TO GET DOWNHILL WHEN HE’S NOT FRESH. BUT YOU KNOW HE’S GOING TO REALLY BE AGGRESSIVE WHEN HE’S ALLOWED TO. YOU KNOW KIND OF GET INTO THE PAINT AND DO WHAT HE DOES. >> OBVIOUSLY HE WAS BEYOND

EXCITED TO GET OUT THERE AND BE WITH HIS TEAMMATES AND PLAY BASKETBALL. THE GAME THAT HE LOVES. I DIDN’T WANT TO OVER CALL THINGS. I JUST WANTED THEM TO PLAY FREE AND JUST START KIND OF GETTING A FEEL FOR EACH OTHER. YOU KNOW? I JUST WANTED HIM TO HAVE FUN. IT SURE LOOKED

LIKE HE DID, UH, THAT PERFORMANCE GOT, UH, A LOT OF FOLKS ATTENTION. >> UH, LEBRON ON KEVIN GARNETT WEIGHING IN. DREAM ON DRAYMOND. >> HE’S ALLOWED TO DO THAT. YEAH HE CAN STILL I THOUGHT HE WAS IN SOCIAL MEDIA. YEAH HE’LL BE BACK TYRESE MAXEY JOB BEING BACK IS GOOD FOR HOOPS.

>> UM AGREED I MEAN IT WAS GREAT TO SEE HIM BACK ON THE FLOOR AND GREAT TO SEE HIM DOING WHAT HE DOES. BUT TO HAVE IT COME DOWN THE WAY IT DID. SHAQ, THAT WAS UNBELIEVABLE. >> THAT’S HOW YOU COME BACK. A HELL OF A COMEBACK STORY. PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST

COMEBACK STORIES I’VE SEEN. YOUNG FELLA MADE A MISTAKE. HE DID HIS TIME. HE PAID HIS DUES. HE DIDN’T COMPLAIN. HE TOOK IT LIKE. LIKE WE SAY IN THE STREETS. HE TOOK IT LIKE A REAL G. HE CAME BACK, BUT HE CAME BACK WITH THAT LOOK, ERNIE, I WAS I WAS CONCERNED

, YOU KNOW, HE HAD SEVEN POINTS IN THE FIRST HALF, BUT LIKE YOU SAID, HE’S A DOG. AND ERNIE DOGS DO NOT STOP AND WE DON’T QUIT. AND YOU KNOW A GUY LIKE JOHN MORANT, YOU JUST GOT TO GIVE YOU GUYS A CHANCE. GAVE HIS GUYS A CHANCE. AND WHAT THEY

DO THE LAST 10S, THEY PUT IT IN HIS HAND AND THIS GUY WANTS TO BE GREAT. I RESPECT GUYS LIKE THIS THAT WANT TO BE GREAT. >> JOHN, I’M HAPPY FOR YOU. >> I’M HAPPY FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY. YOU GET THE GOLF CLUB FROM ME. THAT’S HOW YOU COME BACK, YOUNG BROTHER.

>> WELL, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE SAYS IT’S GREAT FROM THE BACK. HE’S ONE OF THE TOP TEN PLAYERS IN THE NBA. YOU KNOW, HIS ABILITY TO SCORE THE BALL, TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. NOT I DO REMEMBER I, I DO REMEMBER THERE WERE A GROUP OF PEOPLE SCREAMING WHEN JOHN MORANT

WOULD GET HURT LAST YEAR. OH, THE MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES ARE A BETTER TEAM WITHOUT JOHN. A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO THEY HAD A OH YEAH, OH MY GOD, RECORD. WHEN OH LOOK HOW THEY STILL PLAY. WELL IS HE REALLY. NO THE DIFFERENCE IS HIS ABILITY TO BRING THE ATTENTION ON TO HIM WHICH

ALLOWS YOU TO PLAY FREER. AND THEN EVEN WHEN HE’S NOT THERE, THAT FREEDOM CARRIES OVER. WHEN HE’S WHEN HE’S NOT THERE. AND SO YOU’RE ABLE TO CONTINUE IT KNOWING THAT HE’S COMING BACK. BUT WHEN YOU’RE ONE OF THE TOP TEN PLAYERS IN THE LEAGUE, YOUR EFFECT ON THE GAME IS

MORE THAN JUST POINTS. YEAH, HE HAD 34 POINTS, BUT HE HAD THIS EASY LOBS FOR THE INTERIOR PLAYERS. THEIR SPACING AS DESMOND BANE SAID OH THEY CAN YOU’RE NOT GOING TO YOU’RE GOING TO COME OFF OF ME FOR YOUR OKAY I’M GONNA HIT YOU IN THE HEAD WITH A THREE. OH YOU DON’T

YOU’RE GOING TO LEAVE JONES ON THE ISLAND AND PLAY ONE ON ONE WITH JOSH. HE’S GOING TO SCORE THE BASKETBALL AND WIN THE GAME. SO NOW THERE’S REAL DECISIONS TO BE MADE IN THE NBA. WHEN YOU PLAY THE MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES THERE’S NO OH WE COULD JUST GUARD THEM. AND THEY CAN’T WIN. THEY’RE

NOT TALENTED ENOUGH. NOW NOW THEY’RE BACK TO HAVING THAT EDGE I JUST THINK IT’S I JUST THINK IT’S A HUGE WIN. >> SHAQ WHEN YOU WHEN YOU BRING A GUY BACK WHEN YOU’RE SIX AND 19 AND YOU’RE LOOKING AT THIS UPHILL BATTLE, YOU GOT TO YOU GOT SEVEN AND A HALF GAMES TO

MAKE UP TO GET IN THE TEN SPOT. AND YOU START THE GAME THE WAY YOU DO AND YOU’RE DOWN A BUNDLE. YOU FALL DOWN BY 24IN THIS GAME AND IT’S LIKE, OH, I DON’T KNOW. I JUST THINK THAT’S A HUGE CONFIDENCE BUILDER. AND A GREAT STEP FORWARD FOR THIS

TEAM. YOU KNOW, WHEN JOE WAS DOING AN INTERVIEW YOU SAW THE GUYS THAT HAD ENERGY. >> I HAVEN’T SEEN THAT IN THE MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES FOR A WHILE. AND THAT’S ALL IT TAKES. IS ONE GAME LIKE THIS FOR GUYS TO, YOU KNOW, START PLAYING AT THAT HIGH LEVEL. THAT’S THAT’S THE ONLY THING

THEY SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON. LIKE WE’RE NOT TRYING WE’RE NOT TALKING ABOUT CHAMPIONSHIP RIGHT NOW. LET’S JUST GIVE OUR OURSELF A CHANCE. LET’S JUST GET TO THAT 10TH, NINTH OR EIGHTH SPOT. AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, HE’S GOOD ENOUGH TO, YOU KNOW, HELP HIS TEAM DO THAT.

>> CAN YOU ASK YOU ASK A QUESTION. >> YEAH. DO WE HAVE TIME. >> UM CAN HE ASK YOU A QUESTION? >> SURE. YOU’RE YOU’RE YOU’RE YOUR ROOKIE YEAR WHEN YOU DIDN’T MAKE THE PLAYOFFS, RIGHT? THE FIRST YEAR. RIGHT? WHEN THAT NUMBER HIT. AND SAYING THAT YOU GUYS WASN’T GOING TO

MAKE IT, WAS THERE A DIV ELATION IN YOUR EFFORT AND THINKING AND TIME AND PREPARATION? AN ENES WAS THERE HONESTLY, THAT WE DIDN’T WE DIDN’T KNOW UNTIL THE LAST GAME THAT WE’RE NOT GOING TO MAKE IT. >> SO WE BECAUSE WE WERE UP AND DOWN AND THEN ONE GAME

LIKE WE NEED A JUMP AND WIN A GAME BEFORE. >> SO YOU WERE CLOSER. YEAH. I’VE BEEN ON TEAMS. I’M SAYING THAT BECAUSE I’VE BEEN ON TEAMS WHEN WE’RE LIKE 15 GAMES OUT. OH NO, WE WERE AND WE WERE LIKE, OKAY, WE’RE OUT, WE’RE OUT, WE’RE OUT OF CONTENTION. YOU CAN

NOTICEABLY SEE THE DEFLATION IN THE ROOM. NO, WE WERE GAME, GAME GUYS COME GUYS WHO USED TO COME AT, LET’S SAY, THE GAMES AT 730 AND THEY COME AT 530 TO SHOOT. NOW THEY’RE COMING AT 550. YOU KNOW, THEY’RE YOU KNOW, GUYS WHO WOULD STAY AFTER

AND BE IN THE ICE TUB FOR 20 MINUTES. NOW THEY’RE IN THERE FOR 15 MINUTES, LIKE EVERY THING SHORTENS THAT IS A NATURAL HUMAN. I DON’T CARE IF YOU’RE IN THE NBA, YOU’RE MAKING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS. THAT IS A NATURAL INSTINCT OF HUMAN NATURE. SO JOHN MORANT JUST KILLED THE

HUMAN NATURE OF WE DON’T HAVE A CHANCE ANYMORE. WE’RE BACK AND WE HAVE A CHANCE. >> IT’S GOING TO IT’S GOING TO BE A SCENE ON THURSDAY NIGHT. THEY, UH, BACK HOME IN MEMPHIS TAKING ON THE INDIANA PACERS IN THE FIRST, UH, HOME GAME FOR JOHN MORANT AFTER THE SUSPENSION,

AFTER THE 115 TO 113 WIN, EVERYBODY ON THE SET. TOMORROW I’M SHREK. OH, THAT WAS A LITTLE BIT OF AN EXAGGERATION. THIS WAS NOT THIS WAS. DO YOU FEEL MUCH MORE? MUCH MORE. OKAY WHEN YOU WALKED UP, HE FAKED IT. >> HE WAS FAKING. I’LL DO ALL EMBIID. >> OH, MAN.

>> HE WAS FAKING THE PUB. >> WHEN WE COME BACK. YOU LIKE THAT FIRST GAME? WE JUST PLAY THE HIGHLIGHTS OF GAME 290 NIGHT, 90 NIGHT.