Play.
Ja dropping hops in the win.
Ja Morant had two career highlight moments in the win over the Lakers. (0:45)
3:01 AM
Ja Morant keeps on going. In Sunday's 127-119 win over the Lakers, the budding Memphis Grizzlies star's ascent was quiteliteral, as Morant's two-handed chase-down block on Lakers guard Avery Bradley left both teams marveling at the play.
"That's probably the best block I've ever seen," Jackson said. The best block I've ever seen. That was crazy.
Near the midway point of the first quarter, with Memphis out to an early 12-9 lead, Bradley corralled a Morant pass and raced the other way for a fast break layup.
Morant had other plans.
The third-year guard sprinted back on defense and caught up to Bradley from behind, leaping from beyond the restricted zone to grab Bradley's layup attempt with both hands.
Morant's head was near the rim as he controlled the ball's trajectory by the top of the square on the backboard, and he collected the ball once back on the court to spark a fast break toward the other basket.
"Obviously, it starts with timing and also just stalking your prey," said James, who had the most significant chase-down block in league history in the closing minutes of Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals. I saw it happening when Ja was doing that whole play.
He got rockets in his calf muscles, and it was a great play. It was a great play. Thank you.
Morant, who missed the win over the LA Clippers on Saturday with a thigh injury, looked great on Sunday. He finished with 16 points, seven assists, five rebound and a block.
Morant said that he made an incredible play. I was trying to get the ball. If you block it, they might have a player trailing to get the ball and lay it up. It was perfect for me.
I'm probably all over the internet for it.
Morant had dropped 40 points in each of the Lakers' first two meetings this season, but it was his personal highlight reel moment when he hit the game winning shot.
It helped the Memphis to their ninth straight win, which puts them within one game of the Utah Jazz for the 3rd spot in the Western Conference.
Lakers coach Frank Vogel said that the play was special. I don't know what else to say about it.