Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies were at the center of controversy and scrutiny going into Thursday night's road matchup versus the Miami Heat. That will probably not change heading into the weekend, but the star point guard made sure to give himself and the team plenty of positive headlines as well.

With the game tied in the closing seconds, Morant hit a step-back, buzzer-beating bucket to deliver Memphis a 110-108 victory. It is the Grizzlies' first win since they surprisingly fired head coach Taylor Jenkins on March 28. Relief is surely pouring out of the fandom, as pressure and urgency continue to rise.

The eighth-place Grizzlies (45-32) are tied with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Los Angeles Clippers and sit only a half-game behind the Golden State Warriors for the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference. Seizing home-court advantage in a first-round playoff series seems unlikely, but this squad can at least avoid the unpredictable nature of the NBA Play-In Tournament. Morant must maintain his clutch heroics, though.

Grizzlies star Ja Morant continues to ride the roller coaster

The 2022 All-NBA Second-Team selection and two-time All-Star had plenty of people shaking their heads when he, as well as Warriors guard Buddy Hield, broke out a gun finger celebration in Tuesday's showdown. The league issued a warning to both players, but Morant engaged in a similar display against the Heat.

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Will NBA Commissioner Adam Silver let a thrilling finish, which the 25-year-old is responsible for, prevent him from disciplining a player who has been suspended multiple times for brandishing a gun? Fans are extremely curious to find out the answer to that question.

Concerning the basketball side of things, this was a huge night for Ja Morant. He was reportedly not pleased with his role in the offense, controlling the ball less frequently than he has in his six-year career. The former No. 2 pick did not blend in the background in Miami, however. He scored a team-high 30 points on 11-of-22 shooting, doing just enough to help the Grizzlies overcome Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo (combined for 61 points and 16 rebounds) and end Miami's six-game winning streak.

This is what Memphis requires from the man tapped to be its franchise cornerstone. Regardless of where he fits in interim HC Tuomas Iisalo's scheme, Morant must deliver in crunch time. That is probably the only way this squad can salvage the 2024-25 campaign.

Apart from the high on-court expectations the city has set for this exciting talent, the NBA has its own standard it earnestly wants him to follow.