You might think that the ongoing locker room tensions between Ja Morant and head coach Tuomas Iisalo, along with a one-game suspension, would push Morant to rethink his approach. But you’d be wrong. Morant has remained steadfast in his career decision. It really shouldn’t surprise anyone, considering his gutsy nature, as we saw in the recent altercation with the coaching staff when he bluntly said, “Go ask the coaching staff,” after Memphis’ loss to the Lakers. While that’s a whole different story altogether, this time, with stats highlighting the cause of the loss to OKC, Morant already had his answer ready, and truthfully, he had answered it well last year.

Memphis Beat reported that Damichael Cole shared Ja Morant’s response on X when asked about his declining rim numbers. Morant echoed his previous sentiment: “I’m getting no foul calls. Y’all had a whole spiel about running in their careless and getting hurt. So what’s now? That’s what y’all want me to go back doing? Let’s end that convo right there.”

Ring a bell? Last year, after Memphis’ 121-116 road loss to the Dallas Mavericks, Ja Morant made it clear where he stood on dunking. “I’m not trying to dunk at all. Y’all think I’m lying. I’m dead serious,” he said, holding firm despite the fans’ boos. Even then, he finished the fast break with a simple two-hand dunk that barely rattled the rim, showing he wasn’t interested in the highlight-reel stuff, at least not at the risk of injury.

Back then, Morant had already dunked only three times in the 12 games he’d played that season. The 6-foot-2, 174-pound guard, who has faced durability issues throughout his career, was prioritizing self-preservation. He had recently missed eight games after suffering a posterior hip subluxation and pelvic strains when bumped midair by Lakers reserve Christian Koloko during an alley-oop attempt. “Sometimes I get knocked out the air and [a foul] don’t get called, and now I’m out longer than what I’m supposed to be,” Morant explained, highlighting why he avoided driving through traffic for high-flying dunks.

Morant, however, wasn’t fazed by the fans’ reactions. “Hey, I’m fine with that. Continue to boo me,” he said with a smile. “Hey, I got two points. It was still a dunk. It was just not the dunk they wanted to see. But if they boo me off a little rim-grazer, I’m fine with that.” And even now, he still doesn’t seem fazed.

Memphis got off to a rough start, going 0-4 after a 114-100 loss to OKC, and Ja Morant’s struggles have been at the center. He’s shooting just 38.3% from the field and a dismal 14% from three, a sharp decline from his earlier seasons. Since his second All-Star campaign, both his scoring and efficiency have been dropping steadily, raising questions about his ability to lead the Grizzlies offensively. Injuries haven’t helped either: Morant has played only 59 games over the past two seasons.

Morant’s attacks on the rim have slowed significantly, forcing Memphis to rely more on midrange and perimeter shots. The team ranks 24th in rim rate and three-point percentage, partly due to key departures like Desmond Bane, Jake LaRavia, Jay Huff, and Luke Kennard.

As defenses pack the paint, Morant and teammate Jackson are left with fewer clean looks, and Jackson’s usage rate has dipped to its lowest since his rookie year, taking only six shots against Houston. With Morant’s decreased efficiency, the Grizzlies actually perform better offensively when he sits: 116.4 rating off the court versus 109.4 when he plays.

Even historically, Morant’s shooting is regressing. His career three-point percentage has fallen to 31.3% on 6.4 attempts per 100 possessions, barely above Russell Westbrook’s 30.6% on 5.4 attempts per 100. The combination of declining rim attacks, poor outside shooting, and inefficiency in the offense has made him one of the least productive starters in the league so far, highlighting the challenge Memphis faces in building around his current game.

But Morant remains confident in himself and his shot.

Morant vs. Thunder: Confidence tested as Memphis blows big lead

After a 114-100 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Grizzlies have now dropped four of their last five games. In that stretch, Ja Morant has averaged 15 points, 9.2 assists, and 3.8 rebounds, but his shooting has struggled, hitting just 27.2 percent from the field and 8.5 percent from three. Even with those numbers, Morant isn’t losing faith. “That’s why I don’t get too frustrated because I be in this arena,” he said. “I be in the practice gym doing the same thing. Right now, it’s just continuing to shoot, continuing to shoot with confidence and wait for it to translate over.”

The Memphis Grizzlies couldn’t hold on to a 19-point first-half lead as the Oklahoma City Thunder stormed back on Sunday. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was unstoppable, dropping 35 points, including 22 in the second half, with nine coming in just 31 seconds of the fourth quarter. He also grabbed seven rebounds and dished out six assists, leading OKC to their 10th straight regular-season victory over Memphis. Chet Holmgren and Ajay Mitchell each added 21 points, while Isaiah Hartenstein posted a double-double with 18 points and 13 boards.

Memphis had strong contributions from Jaren Jackson Jr., who finished with 17 points and seven rebounds, rookie Cedric Coward’s 13 points and 10 rebounds, and Santi Aldama with 12 points and nine rebounds. Ja Morant, however, struggled mightily, scoring only 11 points on 3-of-18 shooting while adding eight assists. 

The loss brought back memories of an earlier comment from Ja Morant. He last faced Oklahoma City during the 2025 Western Conference Quarterfinals and confidently said, “Had it not been for my hip injury, I had them figured out.” But Sunday’s game told a very different story, showing that the Thunder were anything but figured out.