Ja Morant Is Showing How Much Better He Can Be

Morant, who won last season’s Rookie of the Year Award, avoided a sophomore slump. Still, amid his high-flying dunks and fearsome drives, there is room for him to grow.

The ball found Ja Morant behind the 3-point line in the third quarter of Sunday afternoon’s game against Golden State. Recognizing that his closest defender was stationed in the paint and did not seem to be in any hurry to throw a hand in his face, Morant, the Memphis Grizzlies’ second-year point guard, launched a 29-footer that caromed off the back of the rim. Morant got a second look a few seconds later following an offensive rebound but with roughly the same result: another errant 3-pointer, another missed opportunity, another haggard expression. “I have to be better as a player,” Morant said after the Grizzlies’ 113-101 loss.