MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The flurry between LeBron James and Ja Morant had the characteristics of two boxers trading punches with some showmanship added for flair.
Late in the second quarter of the Memphis Grizzlies‘ 131-114 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night, the two stars from different generations showed why they are the leaders of their teams. James expressed appreciation for the battle between the two and what Morant brings to the league.
“The energy alone. The inspiration that he gives to the younger generation alone is huge for our league,” James said of Morant.
Near the end of the first half, Morant and James went at it, exchanging baskets, each using the “too small” sign after scores in the fray. Morant got a technical foul at one point in the battle as the crowd grew louder with each basket. A good representation of Lakers fans in FedExForum balanced the cheering Grizzlies faithful.
There was a hook from Morant and an ensuing free throw for a three-point play with 1:24 left in the half. Then James’ eight-foot jumper 20 seconds later. Another layup by James, followed seven seconds later by another jumper by Morant that one the Grizzlies’ guard so fired up that he earned the technical.
“I think I did the ‘too small’ to somebody who was too small,” Morant recalled. “He came back and did it respectfully. … He did it, and I don’t back down from nobody. I don’t care who you are.
“My job was to just come back. I got my bucket, and I set the tone. My teammates fed off of it, and you see what happens. Top dog in our league. You take out the top dog, who else you fear?”
But James put the exchange in the category of mutual respect, and two of the league’s top players doing their best to be better than the other, the roots of which going back to the first time they picked up a basketball.
“Just two guys from the inner city who love to compete,” James said of the battle with Morant. “That’s how we all grew up, playing on the blacktop, playing outside, competing at a high level when there was no cameras around.”