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Ja Morant must have thought a tweet throwing shade at the Golden State Warriors may have been too much. After all, the Memphis Grizzlies star deleted it.
Morant was forced to exit Saturday’s Game 3 loss with a knee injury, apparently suffered after Warriors guard Jordan Poole grabbed the knee while reaching for a loose ball.
It’s hard to know if the play was an accident … or done with the intent to slow down Morant as he tried to split a double team near half-court.
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Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) reacts to an official’s call during the second half of Game 3 of the team’s NBA basketball Western Conference playoff semifinal against the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco, Saturday, May 7, 2022. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Anyway, back to the tweet by Morant.
It read “broke the code,” seemingly in reference to Warriors coach Steve Kerr saying Dillon Brooks “broke the code” when he picked up flagrant 2 for a hard foul on Gary Payton II in Game 2.
Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins addressed the play after the game, stopping short of saying it was intentional.
“We just watched the replay,” Jenkins told reporters. “He was going after a dribble and Jordan Poole actually grabbed his knee and yanked it, which kind of triggered whatever happened, so I’m actually going to be very curious what happens after that.
Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) is defended by Golden State Warriors guard Jordan Poole (3) during the first half of Game 2 of a second-round NBA basketball playoff series Tuesday, May 3, 2022, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)
STEPHEN CURRY, KLAY THOMPSON LEAD WARRIORS PAST JA MORANT, GRIZZLIES
“…I don’t know what goes through you guys’ head. No, I didn’t say that it went on purpose. I said the play happened. There was a grab. I’m just curious what happened.”
Poole, for his part, said it was a “basketball play” and that the foul was not intentional.
“I mean, obviously, you don’t want to see anybody get hurt. I’m not even that type of player. I respect everybody,” he said. “Hopefully he gets better and, you know, we can see him out there next game. I don’t even play like that for real. That’s not my type [of] game.”
Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) reacts during the second half of Game 2 of a first-round NBA basketball playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday, April 19, 2022, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)
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The Warriors lead the series, 2-1, with Game 4 set for Monday night in San Francisco. Morant’s status for the game is up in the air. He exited the arena with a noticeable limp after Game 3, opting not to speak to the media.
Follow Sam Amico @WireHoops
