The silver lining to the Memphis Grizzlies' 'humbling' 2023-24 season - ESPN

JA MORANT DROVE the length of the court, kissed a hanging floater off the glass over a couple of Los Angeles Lakers defenders and saw an opportunity to make a statement.

It was in the final minute of a testy second quarter on Nov. 6 at FedExForum, a home game for the Memphis Grizzlies that felt too much like a neutral site for Morant's taste because of the presence of so many Lakers fans.

Morant and LeBron James had exchanged buckets and «too small» gestures in the preceding minute. Morant had an up-close view when James smacked the teal paint in the lane with his right hand, as the Grizzlies superstar landed flat on his back after the league's all-time leading scorer muscled him before hitting a turnaround.

Morant wanted to send a message: Nobody bullies the Memphis Grizzlies, not even a legend who outweighs him by 100 pounds or so. After hitting the floater and backpedaling a few steps, Morant spotted James standing in the lane awaiting an inbounds pass. Morant approached from behind and bumped James forcefully enough to move him several inches, earning a technical foul. It was worth giving up a point for Morant to make his point.

"I don't like them," Morant told reporters after the Grizzlies rolled to a 131-114 win that night. «They knocked me out of the playoffs. And then last year we had a game, and they came here and popped it on our home floor when I was in street clothes. I wasn't [on the bench] tonight.»

A month earlier, inside the gym at a tony private school in Nashville, after a bitterly disappointing, injury-ravaged 27-55 campaign, Morant and the Grizzlies tried to wash away the lingering aftertaste of the past two seasons.

It was Oct. 1, and with a roster that still features several holdovers from teams