The Memphis Grizzlies 2024-25 came to an end in brutal fashion, as they were mercilessly swept out of the 2025 NBA Playoffs in their first-round series against the Oklahoma City Thunder. After the series ended, Ja Morant confidently declared that the Grizzlies would have won had he stayed healthy, which drew an eye-opening response from Scotty Pippen Jr. when asked whether he agreed with that sentiment.
After falling behind to Oklahoma City 2-0 in the series, Morant helped Memphis build a 29-point lead in the second quarter of Game 3 before he was forced out of the game due to a hip injury. The Thunder promptly clawed their way back and managed to pick up a stunning 114-108 victory, and with Morant out for Game 4, they finished off the sweep with a 117-115 victory to advance to the second round and send the Grizzlies packing.
Scotty Pippen Jr. Agrees With Ja Morant’s Confident Thunder Claim
It briefly seemed like Memphis was going to give OKC a real challenge in this series in Game 3, but everything shifted once Morant suffered his aforementioned hip injury. When speaking to reporters on Sunday, Morant confidently declared that he had “figured out” the Thunder, and that the Grizzlies could have at least made the series interesting had he managed to stay healthy.
Considering how Memphis was cruising in Game 3, and how they nearly won Game 4 without Morant, he may have been onto something with this admission. One of Morant’s fellow teammates, Pippen, agreed with this notion when asked about it, saying he believes that the Grizzlies were just beginning to find their footing against the Thunder, only for the rug to be pulled out from underneath them once their star point guard got hurt.
“I think we all felt pretty well,” Pippen said on “Run It Back” when asked about the Grizzlies chances against the Thunder prior to Morant’s injury. “We were winning at home. In the playoffs, I feel like home court advantage is one of the biggest things, and OKC, obviously we had a 50-point loss that was crazy, but second game, we came, we got better. Third game, we were up, Ja goes down, and then even in the fourth game we still competed, so it could go either way I feel like if he doesn’t go out.
Scotty Pippen Jr., Ja Morant Still Confident in Grizzlies Despite Early Playoff Exit
GettyJa Morant raises arms in excitement after big play
On paper, it may look like Morant and Pippen are crazy for thinking they had a shot against the Thunder. And yet, a closer look indicates that they very nearly won Games 3 and 4, and had Morant not gotten injured, things could have gone in a completely different direction. Would the Grizzlies have thrown away their 29-point lead had he managed to finish the game? And would Morant have been able to make up the two-point difference that Memphis endured in Game 4?
These are the questions the Grizzlies will have to think about as they head into the offseason, as there are several big questions that need to be answered over the next few months. The biggest of the bunch revolve around Morant’s future, and whether interim head coach Tuomas Iisalo will earn the full-time head coaching gig. What the team decides to do could determine whether they go on a deeper playoff run next year, or if they end up suffering a similar fate.
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