Spectators at the American Airlines Center booed Ja Morant. But it’s not because he plays for the opposing team that the Grizzlies leader was disliked by Dallas fans.
It’s actually because of a gesture, an action. Not with a bad move, but with a simple dunk. That’s the word: a simple dunk when he had the time and space to take flight and deliver a memorable flight. Clearly, he was booed for not having put on the show as he usually does so well…
“I don’t try to dunk anymore. You might think I’m lying, but I’m really serious.”confirms Ja Morant, who made this decision to preserve his health. Because moving in the air, trying to dunk in front of a forest of players, it’s sometimes dangerous.
Latest example: in November, against the Lakers, he attempted an alley-oop and after contact with Christian Koloko, he fell heavily, injured his hip and missed eight matches.
He’s not going to let off steam in the dunk contest…
“Sometimes I get hit in the air and it’s not my fault. And I find myself injured for longer than expected. Sometimes I have the fault but I am still on the ground and, after the match, I will feel pain after the fall,” specifies the All-Star. “So I chose this option: two points is two points. That’s all that matters. »
This is why he has only dunked three times this season, in 12 games. If he maintains this pace, we will be far from his first years when he performed around fifty dunks (52 on average over his first four exercises), some of which finished in the Top 10 overall for the season. Fans will be disappointed…
“That’s fine with me, keep whistling at me,” smiles the leader. “I still have the two points. And I still dunked, even if it wasn’t what they wanted to see. If they want to call a simple dunk, that’s fine with me. »
What if, as he will now reserve himself during meetings, he let his athletic qualities speak for themselves during the dunk contest? “If I don’t do it in a match, there’s no point in thinking about me going to the competition. My priority right now is what I can do with my team and trying to be 100% healthy.”he dismisses.
| Ja Morant | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saison | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | LF | Off | Def | To | Pd | Fte | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2019-20 | MEM | 67 | 31 | 47.7 | 33.5 | 77.6 | 0.8 | 3.1 | 3.9 | 7.3 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 3.3 | 0.3 | 17.8 |
| 2020-21 | MEM | 63 | 33 | 44.9 | 30.3 | 72.8 | 0.9 | 3.1 | 4.0 | 7.4 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 3.2 | 0.2 | 19.1 |
| 2021-22 | MEM | 57 | 33 | 49.3 | 34.4 | 76.1 | 1.4 | 4.4 | 5.7 | 6.7 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 3.4 | 0.4 | 27.4 |
| 2022-23 | MEM | 61 | 32 | 46.6 | 30.7 | 74.8 | 1.0 | 4.9 | 5.9 | 8.1 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 3.4 | 0.3 | 26.2 |
| 2023-24 | MEM | 9 | 35 | 47.1 | 27.5 | 81.3 | 0.7 | 4.9 | 5.6 | 8.1 | 2.1 | 0.8 | 3.0 | 0.6 | 25.1 |
| 2024-25 | MEM | 11 | 27 | 46.4 | 26.7 | 84.4 | 0.5 | 3.8 | 4.3 | 9.0 | 1.6 | 0.8 | 3.7 | 0.4 | 21.2 |
| Total | 268 | 32 | 47.2 | 31.6 | 75.9 | 1.0 | 3.8 | 4.8 | 7.5 | 1.6 | 1.0 | 3.3 | 0.3 | 22.4 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
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