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Welcome back to your Grizzlies Insider, where we deliver the latest NBA news and analysis straight from Daily Memphian staffers Drew Hill, Chris Herrington and Geoff Calkins right to your inbox.
RING! RING! RING! RING!
“Hello, who do we have the pleasure of speaking with?”
“It’s Ja Morant! You know, the guru of goggles, reigning Rookie of the Year, BIG 12, you hear me?”
“Yes! Of course! THE Ja Morant. We hear you. What have you been up to Ja?”
“Oh, just the usual. Breaking ankles, throwing no-look passes and adding to my season highlight reel. Anyway, I was just calling so you have my number. If you need anything — like maybe a game-winner or something — don’t hesitate to give me a ring.”
*Click*
And that is how (or at least we can pretend) the city of Memphis received Morant’s phone number. They wasted no time at all putting it to good use.
With eight seconds to play and no timeouts left in a tie game Wednesday night, Memphis dialed up their star.
Morant took the inbounds pass the entire length of the floor and scooped up the game-winning layup with his left hand nearly beating the buzzer to give the Grizzlies the lead.
He let out a loud yell underneath the basket before trotting his way back to the bench with his hand to his ear like he was answering the phone.
“Our fans, my family, my teammates, our coaches, anybody who was rooting for us was on the other side of that call,” Morant said. “We have this thing where we say, ‘Call 12.’ So, when in doubt, you got my number. I answered this time; I didn’t send them to voicemail. We got the dub.”
There was no other player the team would want taking that shot. De’Anthony Melton and Taylor Jenkins confirmed that shortly after the game.
And there was no doubt Morant was going shoot it.
“I live for those moments and I want that pressure,” Morant said.
Or, in other words, clutch moments are his calling. He’s the Grizzlies’ smooth operator.
So, Memphis, the question is simple.
*“Ghostbusters” theme plays in the background*
Who ya gonna call?
More from your Insider:
Grizzlies didn’t fall into the fourth-quarter trap, using 10 3-pointers and clutch rebounding to beat the Heat.
Says Achiuwa: “I’ve been looking forward to this day for a really, really long time.”
Coach Taylor Jenkins has to weigh whether Grayson Allen or De’Anthony Melton get in the Grizzlies’ rotation. But the condensed schedule should give both players plenty of opportunities.
The statistics reveal a great deal about a shot, and shot attempts, that is taken in the “short mid-range.”
The Grizzlies couldn’t keep pace with the Suns’ offense in their third straight loss.
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