Ja Morant returned to the lineup for the first time two weeks as the Memphis Grizzlies took on the Orlando Magic in the NBA London Game on Sunday. The point guard, who has already missed enough games this season to be ruled ineligible for major awards, looked extremely comfortable and played well in his 19th game of the year. He scored 24 points to go along with 13 assists and shot well from the field, making 3-of-4 three-point attempts.
In fact, he shot so well it was worth celebrating, which he did when he pantomimed using a bazooka after one particularly deep three.
— No Context NBA (@NoContext_NBA_) January 18, 2026
Think about that. A bazooka.
That's an incredible choice considering he was previously fined by the league for a finger gun celebration after he was suspended for flashing a real gun on Instagram Live.
You might think this is just comedic heightening, but he told one media member that last year's grenade celebration—which was copied by other athletes—wasn't actually a grenade celebration, so we can assume there's a hilarious denial coming.
If nothing else, Morant showed on Sunday that he can still play, so we'll have to see what happens as the trade deadline approaches. The Grizzlies are now 18-23 and currently sit in the No. 10 seed in the Western Conference. It might be time to blow it up.
More NBA on Sports Illustrated
- Kevin Durant, Dirk Nowitzki Trade Classy Messages After Rockets Star Moved Up Scoring List
- Peter’s Points: NBA Best Bets Today (Predictions, Prop Bets for Devin Booker, Heat-Warriors, Clippers, 76ers)
- Ja Morant Says Tattoo Shows ‘Exactly’ What He Wants in Response to Grizzlies Trade Rumors
- Anthony Edwards Shares What He ‘Loved’ About Victor Wembanyama Duel After Career Night
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Ja Morant’s New 3-Point Celebration Is a Pretend Bazooka.
