Ja Morant returned to the Memphis Grizzlies lineup after dealing with an injury, and he came back in style as they defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 123-98. In only 23 minutes, Morant carved up the Trail Blazers, scoring 22 points and dishing out 11 assists, but it was a highlight for almost every play he made.

Morant has always been known as a high-flyer, and during the game, he got up for a huge dunk that had the crowd and the Grizzlies pumped up.

During the game, he also found Brandon Clarke on a no-look, behind-the-back pass in the paint which left the Grizzlies broadcast amazed.

Before halftime, Morant continued his highlight plays, hitting a three, getting a steal on the other end, and throwing up a halfcourt shot that went in right after the buzzer. The Grizzlies have to be happy that Morant is back on the court because he's the engine that makes everything run easier for the team.

Ja Morant returns to the floor for Grizzlies

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) drives to the basket between Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija (8) and forward Toumani Camara (33) during the second half at FedExForum.
Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Ja Morant hit the floor for the first time since getting injured on Nov. 6. After the game, Morant seemed satisfied with his performance.

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“It felt good. Felt like I played good. Looked good,” Morant said via ESPN.

Head coach Taylor Jenkins had nothing but positive things to say about Morant in his return.

“He works his tail off,” Jenkins said. “This past week was the best work I've seen from him in a return-to-play process.”

The Grizzlies have been dealing with injuries throughout the season, but they've been able to stay afloat in the tough Western Conference. They look to be almost at full strength, and if they're able to get rolling, they may be a team that others don't want to face on a nightly basis. When Morant, Desmond Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr. are on the court, good things happen for the Grizzlies.

“When we've got the big three, it's different,” Santi Aldama said. “It's also easier to play that way. We're talking about Ja. Just having him back, just the energy, the gravity, it's completely different. Hopefully, we start building the chemistry with them.”

When the Grizzlies are fully healthy, they've shown over the years that they can be a dangerous team. Last season they weren't able to do that because of injuries, but if all goes well this time around, they could be amongst the top of their conference, but it first starts with Morant.