What Grizzlies players said ahead of matchup vs Ja Morant, Blazers
· Yahoo Sports
PORTLAND — Memphis Grizzlies center Zach Edey has seen his fair share of Ja Morant poster dunks. He was on the bench when Morant infamously dunked over 7-foot-4 Victor Wembanyama two seasons ago.
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Now that Morant and Edey are no longer teammates, the Grizzlies’ 7-4 center wouldn’t be surprised if Morant tried to add him to the list.
“Yeah. Definitely a possibility,” Edey said. “He’s a competitor. He’s going to try to attack the rim. If he jumps with me, I’m going to try to (contest) him.”
The Grizzlies (4-0) will face the Portland Trail Blazers on Oct. 29 at the Moda Center (9 p.m. CT, DAZN-MEM). Memphis and Portland are two of the final three unbeaten teams remaining in the NBA.
The matchup will mark Morant’s first time playing against his former team since the Grizzlies traded him in June. Edey is among the former teammates Morant still talks to most frequently. Scotty Pippen Jr. and GG Jackson are also among them.
“Ja is my brother,” Pippen said. “It’s bigger than basketball with me and him.”
Guarding Ja Morant
Pippen and Jaylen Wells are arguably two of the Grizzlies’ best perimeter defenders. Both are expected to get opportunities to guard Morant.
Each spent multiple seasons as Morant’s teammate in Memphis, but their experiences playing alongside him have given them different perspectives heading into the matchup.
Pippen frequently matched up against Morant in practice. He knows Morant’s moves and tendencies, but that familiarity doesn’t mean he’s taking the challenge lightly.
“I’ve been practicing against him a lot, but at the end of the day, he’s still Ja Morant,” Pippen said. “He’s still going to get to his spots. He’s still one of the best players in the league.”
Wells had a different experience. The two often practiced in the same group because they were both starters in Memphis.
That gave Wells a front-row seat to how Morant played against other defenders, but he rarely had to experience it firsthand.
“I feel like I should know his tendencies a little bit on offense,” Wells said. “I never really guarded him, so hopefully it comes back to me.”
Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at [email protected]. Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: What Grizzlies players said ahead of matchup vs Ja Morant, Blazers