"Kinda messed up" - NBA fans react to Ja Morant's camera shy reaction on the sidelines as he misses do-or-die Game 4

The Memphis Grizzlies are without All-Star guard Ja Morant as they attempt to salvage one game in their series against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Despite not being able to suit up, Morant still came and supported his squad, something the broadcast team wanted to highlight by pointing a camera at him.

However, the sidelined All-Star avoided attention. When he saw the camera on him, Ja Morant attempted to block it with his hand. Instead of panning away, though, the broadcast switched to a different view.

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Some fans felt bad for Morant after seeing the awkward moment between him and the camera. Still, some of the people who empathized with him saw the hilarity of the situation.

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"Kinda messed up, but kinda funny," one person tweeted.

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"This is lowkey rude and disrespectful," another tweeted.

"Absolutely cannot blame him. S*** is bleak af rn," one person said.

On the other hand, not everyone displayed empathy toward Ja Morant. Some opted to troll while others had a blunt reaction.

"Does he really expect not to be filmed? like c'mon bro you're the star of one of teams that are playing," one fan said.

"Ja: paper! Second camera: scissorssssss," another joked.

"He's fine in the west btw," one person joked.

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Without Morant, the Grizzlies went with a starting lineup of Scotty Pippen Jr. and Desmond Bane in the backcourt. On the frontcourt, they fielded Santi Aldama at the three, Jaren Jackson at the four and Zach Edey at the five.

Also read: Scotty Pippen Jr. makes his feelings known about Memphis' offense falling flat after Ja Morant's injury

The Memphis Grizzlies surrendered their massive Game 3 lead following Ja Morant's injury

After blowout defeats in Games 1 and 2, the Memphis Grizzlies - arriving with renewed energy, took a double-digit lead midway through the first quarter of Game 3.

They continued that dominance in the game's second frame, growing their lead to as much as 29 points. However, things would take a dramatic shift before the first half ended.

With just a little over three minutes left in the half, Ja Morant and Scotty Pippen Jr. had a two-on-one fastbreak against Lu Dort following a Pippen Jr. steal. In that sequence, Morant tried to elevate over Dort, but his leg got caught on the defender's shoulder. This caused him to fall to the ground, resulting in a hip contusion.

After Ja Morant left, Memphis's lead shrank. The Thunder seized the lead in the fourth quarter, securing Game 3 by 114-10.

About the author

Miguel is a basketball writer at Sportskeeda with an overall experience of 7 years. A lover of the sport owing to its mental aspect, he has played it throughout high school and college as a power forward and small forward, and has also coached high school and college basketball teams. These experiences have given him a unique perspective on the game, which translates into insightful content.

For Miguel, the San Antonio Spurs, especially during the Tim Duncan era, were the embodiment of team basketball. He respects Gregg Popovich's empathy toward his players and his understanding of the game. The Spurs' titles, Kobe Bryant's poignant "Dear Basketball" tribute, Derrick Rose's remarkable 50-point game with Minnesota and Magic Johnson's remarkable comeback are among Miguel's top basketball moments.

For his articles, he conducts thorough research, cross verifies information with at least three sources, and sometimes sacrifices speed for accuracy. Content simplification and maintaining a neutral view on topics are his strengths.

Miguel follows other sports, particularly the NFL, and when not working he enjoys hobbies like cooking and playing video games.

Know More

Grizzlies Nation! You can check out the latest Memphis Grizzlies Schedule and dive into the Grizzlies Depth Chart for NBA Season 2024-25.

Edited by William Paul