The Portland Trail Blazers made an emphatic statement in their Opening Night win over the Phoenix Suns. Not only did they begin the night on a 21-0 run, but they kept that success going for the rest of the game. Ja Morant made his Blazers debut, and he put up good stats. But perhaps more importantly, it looked like he was having more fun playing basketball than he has in years.
During the final few years of Morant’s time with the Memphis Grizzlies, things didn’t go too well. Injuries kept Morant off the court, as did suspensions. It’s not hard to imagine why Morant’s heart wasn’t always in it all the way. Plus, the Grizzlies weren’t very competitive.
Well, in his first game as a Blazer, Morant looked energized. Reenergized. Like he was all-in again. And that’s a great sign.
Ja Morant looked reinvigorated in his Blazers debut
Everything went right for the Blazers on Wednesday night. They absolutely demolished the Suns. It wasn’t even close. It was never close. From the jump, Portland was the better team.
Morant played great. He finished the game with 14 points, five rebounds, eight assists, and three steals while shooting 6-of-8 from the field and 2-of-3 from beyond the three-point line.
But for Morant, it was about way more than the stats. It was about the way he was approaching a game. It looked like he didn’t have an off switch on either end of the court.
On defense, Morant was making all the hustle plays. He would jump fifteen feet in the air if it meant he even had a chance to block a shot. When the Blazers went on their run, he was going to do anything to stop the Suns from scoring.
Then, on the offensive end, he just kept moving. He was always looking to find open space, create for his teammates, and keep possession in the hands of the Blazers.
He even dove out of bounds to throw the ball off the Suns. It was a well-rounded performance for Morant, and he never seemed to turn off the energy, which is a great sign for the Blazers, who took a chance on trading for him over the summer.
It was just one game. The Blazers have an entire 82-game season to get through. But that was about as good a sign as they could have asked for.
Morant looked awesome. He was hustling at all times. And that’s exactly what he needs to be doing.
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