Ja Morad he is a special player. One of those who appears very occasionally and who dazzles fans with his suicidal, vertical and electric style. His steady and frenetic career rise since being drafted in 2019 has allowed him to polish his style of play into full gear. Its base Memphis Grizzlies The essence of his being as a player has not changed, being clear when it comes to penetrating and extremely plastic in his finishing. Instead, it has incorporated new tools into the way this sport is understood, while gradually polishing the small shortcomings that limited it.
If last season he certainly incorporated the triple into his arsenal, raising his volume and success rate to 34.4%in 2022-2023 it made a further step forward in two critical areas for its future grizzly.
These two areas are the shooting range. average distance and playmaking for the rest.
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During his incredible last season, Ja Morant became the first point guard to lead the NBA in points in the league. painting (16.6) and the best record for someone under 1.95 height along with Russell Westbrook, 15 (2019-2020) and Allen Iverson, 12.1 (2005-2006). This determination to charge to the rim has its consequences, as it requires enormous physical exhaustion, not only because of the power invested in the finish, but also because of the constant contact with much larger bodies.
It all came down to the mix of necessity and superiority, as stopping the Grizzlies player was next to impossible once he entered the zone directly. Furthermore, Taylor Jenkins’ men didn’t have many more options in attack to give Morant better options. Something that also had some transfer in the creation of opportunities for the rest in the form of assists.
Tennessee’s playoff loss to the Warriors led the star to examine his style in a certain way. Memphis had come a long way and was on the verge of returning to the Conference Finals, but it was clear that that version of Ja Morant needed an update. Especially if you wanted to reach an absolute elite level.
And that happened.
The 23-year-old has taken his level up a notch this season. You only have to look at his numbers to see that he’s someone more mature and smarter, that he’s choosing better what kind of pitches he wants to make. In fact, reduces his efforts at the rim progressively while moving away from him towards the middle distance, where he has an interesting success rate:
| Time | In the restricted area | In the paint | Average distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-2022 | 5.3 of 7.9 attempts — 66.9% | 3.0 out of 7.0 — 42.9% | 0.3 of 1.2 — 26.1% |
| 2022-2023 | 4.4 out of 7.3 — 60.9 | 2.9 out of 6.8 — 42.7% | 0.6 out of 1.5 — 43.8% |
It’s in the short midrange, on the threshold between the paint and the free kick, where Morant handles himself best. This particular area of the field is his favorite place, where he makes most of the decisions, since the defense has little room to maneuver there. If it comes from a direct block, the interior guard will not be able to react if he shoots or looks for a teammate, while if he does it on a clearance or in transition, the opposing defense will focus on preventing him. from reaching the basket.
Progressing away from the rim is a natural process for someone like the Grizzlies star, but also a necessity for players. Playoffs. If opponents force him and deny him a chance to get there, he’ll have yet another weapon to score.
However, the way he focuses his efforts on progressing from mid-range doesn’t follow the mold of others like Devin Booker or DeMar DeRozan. Ja Morant does it with floats or bombs.
According to InStat, Ja Morant scores 0.97 points per possession on floaters on direct block actions and 1.12 on nets. Some numbers that make him one of the most efficient in this type of situation in the entire league. It’s also a very practical way for him to use his long vertical jump and touch on the ball, avoiding contact wear and tear that requires a finish in the ring.
The other big part sustaining the change the young point guard is experiencing is his involvement as an opportunity creator for others. Not only has he gone from averaging 6.7 to 8.3 assists last season, a nearly 25% increase, but that’s making a real impact for the Grizzlies.
Morad is better at reading how opposing defenses cover him, making key split-second decisions. The former Murray State player makes an art of splitting and doubling, upping the tempo of the group, but also giving more people opportunities in Memphis thanks to collective ball movement:
Ja Morant has a long way to go to finish reaching his full potential. This will require better three-way performance, especially on board, as well as further enriching its gauges and steering capability. Right now the Memphis Grizzlies rely too much on the transition and their schemes end up being extremely predictable.
Once that hurdle is reached, the next one will be over for Morant slow down the game and that patience becomes your ally.
The views expressed here do not necessarily represent those of the NBA or its organizations.
