Ja Morant is usually the member of the Memphis Grizzlies who levitates and makes opponents look silly. During Tuesday night’s game between Memphis and the Los Angeles Lakers, Morant instead watched from the sideline as Jaren Jackson Jr. threw down one of the nastiest putback dunks you will see this season at the expense of Anthony Davis.
Jackson broke up an attempted lob that Dennis Schröder threw to Davis during the fourth quarter while Morant was getting a breather. The other nine players beat him up the floor, so Jackson was behind the play as John Konchar attempted a runner that hit the back of the rim.
The benefit, however, was that Davis had zero idea that Jackson was right behind him. The Lakers star barely got off the ground as the frontrunner for league’s Defensive Player of the Year rose up and snatched the ball with only his left hand. Jackson didn’t even need to corral it and come back down, as he threw down right over Davis and got the crowd at FedExForum on their feet.
JJJ MONSTER PUTBACK
pic.twitter.com/XWb3zAQ9Ru
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) March 1, 2023
The entire Grizzlies bench got on their feet over the dunk, with Morant in complete awe in the middle of things.