Ja Morant played his first game back after a one-game suspension, scoring 20 points and recording 10 assists in the Memphis Grizzlies' 114-106 loss to the Detroit Pistons. His postgame comments revealed ongoing tension with coach Tuomas Iisalo over rotation patterns and a lack of joy in the game. The defeat dropped Memphis to 3-5, extending their three-game losing streak.
The Memphis Grizzlies faced internal challenges during their Monday matchup against the Detroit Pistons, marking Ja Morant's return from a one-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team. The suspension stemmed from a clash after Friday's loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, where Iisalo reportedly criticized Morant's leadership and effort in front of the team.
Morant finished with 20 points on 5-of-16 shooting, including 0-of-4 from three-point range, along with 10 assists and five turnovers in 35 minutes—a season high. He played in shorter stints throughout each quarter, such as exiting at the 6:19 mark of the first and re-entering at 3:14, and sitting from 8:36 to 5:41 in the second. This rotation pattern, which began last season under Iisalo's influence, has been a point of contention, as Morant prefers longer stretches to build rhythm.
Postgame, Morant expressed frustration when asked about resolution with the coaching staff: "Yeah, they told y'all that right?" He added, "If I didn't have a good relationship, I wouldn't talk to them at all," regarding his ties to the franchise. When questioned about his joy for the game, he replied, "No," and shrugged off follow-ups, saying, "We'll see" on regaining it.
Iisalo addressed the substitution strategy, noting, "I have a lot of understanding for the players who say this... A lot of planning, a lot of feel, goes into planning the sub patterns... to find a competitive advantage from it." He emphasized adapting to the game's increasing intensity, with the Grizzlies ranking No. 7 in pace, to reduce fatigue and injury risk for players like Morant, who relies on explosive drives.
Despite the tension, Morant contributed to a fourth-quarter rally. Trailing 99-86 midway through, he dunked off a lob from Vince Williams Jr. to cut the deficit to 101-94 with 4:23 left, and Jaren Jackson Jr. followed with a three-point play making it 103-100 at 3:09. The Grizzlies fell short, however.
Memphis, dealing with injuries to Scotty Pippen Jr. (toe) and Ty Jerome (calf), now hosts the Houston Rockets on Wednesday amid their skid. Morant's season stats reflect struggles: 39% field goal shooting, 13.8% from three (5-for-36), and a career-low 25% at-rim frequency entering the game, with 37% of attempts from mid-range or beyond the arc.