Ja Morant Stats Tonight: How did Grizzlies star fare against New York Knicks? (Feb. 28)

Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies hoped to tie the season series against the New York Knicks on Friday. The Grizzlies, which lost 143-106 in late January, looked to avenge the blowout loss in the rematch. Memphis got their first look at the Knicks with backup center Mitchell Robinson on the roster.

Morant led the early charge with nine points and one assist in the opening quarter. The explosive guard repeatedly attacked the rim, which helped offset the Grizzlies' 1-for-9 shooting from behind the arc. Memphis led 32-25 at the end of the first quarter.

"G12" was not as aggressive in looking for his shots in the second quarter. He went 2-for-4 for four points and two assists. The New York Knicks won the period to cut Memphis' lead to 59-56 at halftime.

Ja Morant contributed five points and three assists in the third quarter to help his team win the period 29-26. The former All-Star also spent time chasing New York Knicks captain Jalen Brunson around screens. Morant's two-way play enabled the Grizzlies to extend their lead to 88-82 entering the fourth quarter.

Morant had seven points and one assist in the final frame as the Knicks eked out a 114-113 victory. The point guard missed a potential game-winning shot at the buzzer.

Player	PTS	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	FG	3-PT FG	FT	+/-
Ja Morant	25	4	7	1	0	4	9-22	0-6	7-7	+8

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Ja Morant continues to struggle from behind the arc

Teams consistently pack the paint to dare Ja Morant to shoot. The New York Knicks continued that strategy by sagging off him to defend drives and lobs. G12 has remained aggressive with his 3-pointers but continues to do poorly from that distance.

After going 0-for-6 in the loss to the Knicks, Morant is now 4-for-37 in his last six games. He had an impressive 29-point game against the Phoenix Suns, but he made only one of 12 attempts from behind the arc. Morant is hitting 29.7% in 3-pointers this season.

Ja Morant knows he needs to shoot better, particularly if the Memphis Grizzlies reach the playoffs. Memphis is third in the Western Conference with a 38-21 record. Opponents will continue using his lethargic outside shooting against the Grizzlies if he does not improve to at least league average.