A murmur of anticipation went through the crowd at the American Airlines Center when Grizzlies star Ja Morant had only the blue court between him and the basket after winning the ball near the halfway line midway through the second quarter on Tuesday night. Fans booed as Morant — known for countless viral highlights throughout his five-plus-year NBA career — capped the fastbreak with a simple, two-handed dunk that wasn’t even powerful enough to shake the ring.
“I try not to dunk at all,” Morant said after the Memphis Grizzlies’ 116-121 road loss to the Dallas Mavericks. “You think I’m lying. I’m serious.”
NBA star: self-protection as a priority
Morant, who has dunked just three times in 12 games this season, consciously tries to avoid the spectacular dunks over defenders that have made him one of the league’s most popular players. For the 1.88 meter tall, 79 kilogram guard, who has repeatedly struggled with injury problems throughout his career, it’s all about self-protection.
In November, he missed eight games after suffering a posterior hip dislocation and related pelvic injuries when he fell awkwardly while attempting to catch an alley-oop following a collision with Lakers reserve center Christian Koloko.
“Sometimes I get hit in the air and [ein Foul] “There’s no whistle and then I’m out longer than I should be,” Morant explained, explaining why he no longer wants to dunk so spectacularly. “Sometimes the foul is called; I still end up on the ground, but after the game you feel that little fall. So I choose my opportunities. Hey, two points are two points. I’ll finish it. Nothing else matters.”
Morant doesn’t want to go to the dunk contest
Morant, who averages 22.0 points and 8.6 assists for the 14-8 Grizzlies, understands fans might be disappointed if he finishes his drives to the basket or fast breaks in a routine manner. He didn’t mind the boos from Mavericks fans after his admittedly boring dunk on Tuesday night.
“Hey, that’s okay with me. Go ahead and boo me,” Morant said with a smile. “I scored two points. It was still a dunk. It just wasn’t the dunk they wanted to see. But if they boo me for a little rim grazer, that’s okay with me.”
Morant quickly dismissed the playful suggestion that he could compensate fans by participating in the dunk contest at All-Star Weekend. “If I chill in the game, you don’t have to worry about the dunk contest,” Morant said. “My focus now is to give everything with the team and keep trying to give 100 percent [gesund] to become.”
