MLK Weekend: Ja’s Jamboree 👀

01/17/2023

By: Jeff Yoder

Ja Morant Throws Down Dunk of the Year in Weekend Dedicated to Martin Luther King Jr.

The NBA celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day with a weekend of tributes throughout the Association, including pregame videos, warm-up shirts, and plenty more to honor King’s legacy. Among the highlights were more high-octane scoring performances, but one dunk ruled the weekend in the Grizzlies-Pacers showdown on Saturday, and it came via the man from Memphis. Ja Morant crossed over on a pick-and-roll and put Indiana’s Jalen Smith on an absolute poster with a cock-it-back tomahawk that shook the world. The play went viral in a heartbeat and won the weekend as Morant and the Grizzlies beat the Pacers (130-112).

 

Watch: Ja Morant Throws Down Dunk of the Year in Grizzlies Win

 

MLK Day Highlights

 

Tatum Fires 51: The high-point man of the weekend belonged to Celtics’ Jayson Tatum on Monday with 51 points in a win over the Hornets (130-118). Tatum drilled seven 3s, and Boston is still atop the NBA riding a seven-game streak.

 

LeBron Goes for 48: LeBron James (48-9-8) flirted with a 50-point triple-double in the Lakers’ win over the Rockets (140-132). It was James’ third 40-point game of the season, all of which have come in 2023. He joined Michael Jordan as the only player with multiple 45-point games at the age of 38 or older.

 

Grizzlies Streak Hits 10: Ja Morant won the weekend with his highlight on Saturday, but the Grizzlies weren’t done there. Memphis crushed the Suns on Monday (136-106) to extend their league-best win streak to 10 as they’re still deadlocked at the top of the West (30-13).

 

Photo: Dylan Buell / Getty Images