Ja Morant Stats Tonight: How did Grizzlies superstar fare in comeback game against Lakers? (March 29)

After missing six games with a strained left hamstring, Memphis Grizzlies superstar Ja Morant was cleared to return on Saturday. The Grizzlies made headlines by firing coach Taylor Jenkins after their recent slump. But how did Morant perform in his first game since March 14?

With Jenkins out, Tuomas Iisalo was named as Memphis' interim coach. Iisalo will try to right the ship as the Grizzlies struggle against teams with a winning record. Injuries throughout the season have also plagued them, causing inconsistencies and chemistry issues.

Iisalo's first starting five featured Morant, Desmond Bane, Jaylen Wells, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Zach Edey. They had a tough task in taking down LeBron James, Luka Doncic and the rest of the LA Lakers.

Here are Ja Morant's stats for the game:

Players	PTS	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	MIN	FG	3PT	FT	+/-
Ja Morant	22	8	10	1	0	4	3	31:23	9-23	1-5	3-5	0

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Ja Morant drops near triple-double in first game back from injury

Due to his injury, the Memphis Grizzlies didn't want to take chances on Ja Morant's minutes in his first game back. Morant was limited to just 31 minutes but still managed a near triple-double, with 22 points, eight rebounds and 10 assists.

However, Morant's shot barely fell throughout the game. He went 9-for-23 from the field, making it hard for the Grizzlies to get any rhythm against the LA Lakers. They were down by 11 at the end of the first quarter and halftime.

Despite his performance, the Grizzlies should be happy to see Morant back in the lineup. He remains the team's best player, and having him healthy gives them a shot against any team in the NBA.

Ja Morant scored five points in the fourth quarter, but it wasn't enough to prevent a 134-127 loss to the Lakers. They even regained the lead early in the fourth before the visitors pulled away late. Austin Reaves scored seven of their last 12 points to put the contest to bed.

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What's next for the Memphis Grizzlies?

The Memphis Grizzlies are fifth in the Western Conference, with the LA Lakers ahead by a full game after their impressive win on Saturday. The Grizzlies are at a crossroads heading into the postseason. They can't lose their composure and focus since every game moving forward matters.

Five of their final eight games are against teams with winning records, so they have to tough it out and hope to make the playoffs as aa part of the top 6. They are just ahead by 1.5 games on the Golden State Warriors and LA Clippers, and two games on the Minnesota Timberwolves.

If the playoffs started today, the Grizzlies would face the Lakers in the first round. They lost the season series 3-1, while their only playoff matchup was a 4-2 first-round series win by the Lakers in 2023.