"A pigeon guarding me" - Ja Morant shares comical message with Taylor Rooks after game-winner during Grizzlies-Heat 

Memphis Grizzlies star point guard Ja Morant came through in crunch time during Thursday's 110-108 road victory over the Miami Heat. Following his late-game heroics, the two-time All-Star appeared to take a shot at Heat rookie big man Kel'el Ware in a comical postgame interview.

The back-and-forth affair, in which neither team led by double digits, came down to a series of clutch shots. Grizzlies star forward Jaren Jackson Jr. put his squad up 108-106 on a corner 3-pointer with 1:08 remaining.

A few plays later, Heat star shooting guard Tyler Herro knotted the game up at 108-108 after converting a running floater with 13.8 seconds to play.

However, Morant capped off the thriller by isolating Ware on the perimeter, driving at him and stepping back for a jumper in the lane. It rattled in at the buzzer, allowing Memphis to prevail 110-108.

Speaking with TNT's Taylor Rooks after the contest about his mindset during the play, Morant radiated confidence, seemingly calling out Ware's defensive chops.

"A pigeon was guarding me. Go get a bucket and win the game," Morant said.

Ware has proven to be a serviceable rim protector during his rookie campaign. However, the 7-footer struggled to keep up with Morant's quickness in a one-on-one situation, allowing the one-time All-NBA selectee to get off a clean look.

Morant finished with a team-high 30 points, five rebounds, three assists and three triples, shooting 11-for-22 (50.0%), countering Herro's game-best 35-point performance.

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Ja Morant leads Grizzlies to first win under interim coach Tuomas Iisalo

With Thursday's electrifying triumph, Ja Morant and Co. snapped their four-game losing streak to improve to sixth in the Western Conference (45-32). They also helped interim coach Tuomas Iisalo earn his first victory after his 0-3 start.

Memphis has five outings remaining to fortify its playoff spot and avoid the play-in. It's tied with the seventh-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves (45-32) and leads the eighth-seeded LA Clippers (44-32) by only half a game.

The Grizzlies will look to build on their momentum during Saturday's road clash against the Detroit Pistons (42-34), who are also battling for postseason positioning. They are 1-0 against the Pistons this season, having blown them out 131-111 at home on Nov. 27.

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