Ja Morant scored 23 points on Saturday night, as his Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Indiana Pacers 130-112. Two of those points, though, will be talked about for a long time.
Morant drove to the basket from his right and took off, looking for a dunk. Indiana’s Jalen Smith went up to contest Morant’s dunk. The tale of the tape tells us that the 6-foot-9 Smith should have had a significant edge over the 6-foot-2 Morant. It did not work out that way. Against the taller Smith, he threw down one of the best in-game dunks anyone will ever see.
OH MY GOODNESS JA MORANT 😱
DUNK OF THE YEAR CANDIDATE pic.twitter.com/OQsyR28lKj
— NBA (@NBA) January 15, 2023
Basketball fans were buzzing at the site of this epic throwdown.
NFL reporter Field Yates had no problem occupying his time during halftime of the Wild Card Game between the Los Angeles Chargers and Jacksonville Jaguars. He tweeted, “I’ve watched this Ja Morant dunk 100 times during halftime already.”
I’ve watched this Ja Morant dunk 100 times during halftime already. pic.twitter.com/kK8ghDpL7m
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) January 15, 2023
Others were similarly awed.
Dustin Dopirak, who covers the Pacers for The Indianapolis Star, said “I’m not sure I’m ever going to get over that Ja Morant dunk. My Lord.” An appropriate response, given that Morant once said that he’d have no problem dunking on Jesus.
Growl Towel Central, a Grizzlies fan page, tweeted, “Ja Morant is the best dunker in the NBA. Get this man in the NBA dunk contest ASAP.”
Tyler Greever, a sports anchor in Missouri, joked “Nah man, Ja Morant must be charged for this kind of heinous dunk.”
Coley Mick of Underdog Fantasy observed that “Ja Morant jumps like a cartoon character. Like gravity really doesn’t ever cross his mind.”
I'm not sure I'm ever going to get over that Ja Morant dunk. My Lord.
— Dustin Dopirak (@DustinDopirak) January 15, 2023
Ja Morant is the best dunker in the NBA. Get this man in the NBA dunk contest ASAP
— Growl Towel Central (@GTC901) January 15, 2023
Nah man, Ja Morant must be charged for this kind of heinous dunk. pic.twitter.com/wH63IyB89z
— Tyler Greever (@Tyler_Greever) January 15, 2023
Ja Morant jumps like a cartoon character. Like gravity really doesn’t ever cross his mind pic.twitter.com/aUpudwsr03
— Céad Míle Fáilte (@ColeyMick) January 15, 2023
Ja Morant jumps like a cartoon character. Like gravity really doesn’t ever cross his mind pic.twitter.com/aUpudwsr03
— Céad Míle Fáilte (@ColeyMick) January 15, 2023
[NBA on Twitter]
