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When news broke that the Memphis Grizzlies would face off against the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Play-In Tournament, fans knew they would be in for a show.
Two of the more exciting teams that failed to secure a spot in the top 6 of the Western Conference, the Grizzlies and Warriors, have history, with members of both teams getting after each other this season alone, including multiple weapons-themed Ja Morant celebrations that got fans and non-fans alike talking about his actions.
Fortunately, in the second game of the Play-In Tournament, Morant was up to his usual antics, albeit leaving his imaginary shotgun and bombs at home in favor of some good old-fashioned bench chirping.
Right out of the gates, Morant was on a roll, scoring seven of the team's first 12 points, and after seemingly every single bucket he scored, what did the All-Star guard do? He looked right at the Warriors' bench and had words with the players who weren't in the game, returning to the Grizzlies' side of the court with a smile on his face each time.
Ja Morant gets in his bag and scores on Moses Moodey, he then started chirping at the Warriors bench after this. Here we go 🍿pic.twitter.com/qntqJm8m8S
— SM Highlights (@SMHighlights1) April 16, 2025
What was Morant saying? It's hard to tell. Who was he referring to? Again, it's tough to say. But one thing is incredibly clear: This game means a lot to Morant, and he's not going to take a loss lying down.
After entering the playoffs with a 4-6 record, the Grizzlies find themselves the eighth seed in the West, with a tough road to the NBA Finals no matter how the rest of this series shakes out. The team traded away Marcus Smart, fired their long-time head coach Taylor Jenkins, and have changed up their trajectory in the short and long term, with Morant no longer guaranteed to be the team's franchise player.
Can a deep playoff run help to keep Morant not only around but still the featured player of the Grizzlies franchise? Only time will tell, but one thing that won't be lacking is passion, as it's clear Morant wants to show fans what he has for however many more games he has left.
