The last game between the Golden State Warriors and the Memphis Grizzlies continues to send waves through the league. The Warriors won the game and moved to fifth place in the Western Conference. The latest reports are that Ja Morant might face suspension because of a gesture during the game.
The NBA Might Suspend Ja Morant
Reports by Shams Charania say that the NBA is looking into Ja Morant using his hands and arms to mimic shooting a gun toward the Warriors bench during the game. The league probe will also look into Warriors wing Buddy Hield and his gesture ahead of Morant’s finger-gun motion. The league officials will talk to all involved parties and come to a conclusion afterward. The incident occurred during a timeout in the fourth quarter, with only 20.1 seconds remaining. The Warriors won the game 134-125.
As Morant was walking toward the Grizzlies bench, he made an imaginary gun with his fingers on both hands, he then pointed them toward the Warriors bench. The referees issued double technical fouls to Morant and Hield, but the NBA will further look into it.
History Repeats Itself
This would not be the first time Ja Morant has been issued a suspension due to using a firearm. If the NBA suspends the Grizzlies point guard, it will be the third time he will have to miss games. The first incident occurred in March 2023 during an Instagram live stream while Morant was partying in a Denver nightclub. At the time, the NBA issued an indefinite suspension that ended up being an eight-game suspension.
Then, at the beginning of the 2023-24 season, the league suspended him for the first 25 games after he brandished a firearm during an Instagram livestream on his friend’s account. Given his history, it’s possible Morant will be suspended and at the bare minimum he’ll be fined.
Ja Morant’s Suspension Can Hurt the Grizzlies Big Time
The Grizzlies are tied for the sixth spot in the Western Conference with the Minnesota Timberwolves. They are half a game behind the Warriors for the fifth spot and two and a half games behind the Lakers for the fourth spot. Just a few weeks ago, Memphis was battling for the second seed with the Houston Rockets. Now, they have fallen off a cliff and fired their head coach Taylor Jenkins. They are on a four-game losing streak and have lost eight of their last ten games.
The Grizzlies have six more games to play in the season. First, they go on a road trip in the Eastern Conference, with stops at Miami, Detroit, and Charlotte. The Pistons game is the hardest of those three, but their last three games will decide their seeding. They play three games in four days, starting with a back-to-back vs. Timberwolves at home and on the road in Denver. Memphis closes out the season with a game against Dallas at home. The game against the Timberwolves might be a deciding factor in whether Memphis will start the postseason from the play-in.
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