Star level guard Ja Morant missed his third straight recreation on Saturday as a result of a calf pressure, however he was on the middle of a post-game incident in Dallas after his Grizzlies beat the Mavericks. As Tim MacMahon writes for ESPN.com, Morant and Mavs wing Klay Thompson exchanged phrases on the court docket following the ultimate buzzer and needed to be separated by safety employees members and coaches (Twitter video link).
After seemingly directing some trash speak Thompson’s approach throughout that confrontation, Morant interrupted teammate Cam Spencer‘s post-game tv interview to say, “Inform ’em who the very best shooter in the home was, it wasn’t bro from Golden State” (Twitter video link).
Requested throughout his post-game media session about what Morant was saying to him on the court docket, Thompson mentioned it was “nothing of clever depth,” per MacMahon.
“He’s a humorous man,” Thompson mentioned. “He has rather a lot to say on a regular basis, particularly for a man who hardly ever takes accountability. …It was actually simply working his mouth, and he’s been working his mouth for a very long time. It’s humorous to run your mouth while you’re on the bench. It’s form of the story of his profession to this point, simply leaving us wanting extra.”
Each Morant and Thompson are having the worst years of their skilled careers to this point in 2025-26. The Grizzlies guard is averaging 17.9 factors and a career-high 3.8 turnovers per recreation whereas taking pictures 35.9 % from the ground and 16.7 % on three-pointers. Thompson has put up 10.1 PPG on 34.7 % taking pictures (32.1 % from past the arc).
Thompson, who will flip 36 later within the season, has a Corridor of Fame resume however has seen his numbers decline in recent times. Morant, 26, must be in his prime, however has been tormented by accidents over the previous couple seasons. He additionally had his profession derailed by off-court incidents, together with a pair of prolonged suspensions that stemmed from brandishing a firearm in movies on social media. Thompson didn’t instantly reference that off-court habits on Saturday, however he alluded to it.
“All of us need to see him on the market and do his greatest, however he’s simply been letting a variety of different stuff get in the best way of that,” Thompson mentioned of Morant. “We want that within the NBA. We want our greatest gamers to be on the market, and while you’re a star, it comes with an incredible duty. I hate to see that go to waste.”
Thompson’s Warriors had some memorable video games towards the Grizzlies through the years, eliminating Memphis from the playoffs in each 2015 and 2022. The veteran sharpshooter spoke with extra fondness of these matchups that occurred earlier in his profession than those from the previous few seasons.
“I do even have a variety of respect for the Grind Home,” Thompson mentioned, per Christian Clark of The Athletic. “Mike Conley, Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol. That was a tough workforce to beat. This new workforce, although? They simply speak rather a lot. They’ve at all times talked rather a lot. They’ve by no means actually backed it up, both. I don’t actually respect that. I respect guys who again up the speak with play. As a result of speak is affordable. I do know that higher than anyone. I’ve been on this league a very long time.”
