Things aren’t exactly going smoothly for the Grizzlies right now. If you’ve been keeping tabs, you’ve probably noticed—they’ve hit a wall. Seven losses in their last ten? That’s not the kind of stretch you want this late in the season. Now here’s the kicker: they finally pulled off a win Thursday night against the Heat—barely. Ja Morant bailed them out at the buzzer.

Now here’s where things get tight. The Grizzlies came into Saturday clinging to the No. 8 seed. But check this out—they’ve got the exact same record as the Clippers and Wolves. You’d think it’d be a three-way battle, right? Not quite. LA’s on a four-game heater, and Minnesota’s won three straight. Meanwhile, Memphis is just trying to stay upright.

And against the Pistons, Morant was listed as a starter and then next? Boom—he’s questionable with some mystery illness. No heads-up, no details, just a quiet X post from the Grizzlies that had fans scratching their heads. A short while later, the team pulled the plug completely and ruled him out.

Honestly, this whole week’s been wild for Ja. You’ve probably seen the clips—he’s been hit with a warning and a fine for flashing those finger gun celebrations. The NBA clearly wasn’t amused. The 2x All-Star got slapped with a $75K fine by the NBA, and honestly, it didn’t come out of nowhere. The league had already told him to chill with the finger-gun celebration. And instead of backing off, he did it again—literally just hours after being warned.

The NBA wasn’t subtle about the reason either. In their words, that gesture “could be interpreted in a negative light.” They’d already made that crystal clear earlier in the week after Morant and the Warriors’ Buddy Hield both pulled the move during their game on Tuesday. A source even said both teams were specifically told to cut it out. No gray area here.

Now, if you’ve followed Ja’s journey, you know this isn’t just about one gesture. The league’s keeping a close eye on him—and for good reason. Last March, he got an eight-game suspension for flashing a gun on Instagram Live at a gentlemen’s club. Then he missed the first 25 games this season because of another IG Live incident—this time showing off a handgun in a car.

And yet, even with all the controversy, Ja lives for those spotlight moments.

Ja Morant admits he has been the villain for last 2 years

Morant lives for the big moments—and Thursday night in Miami, he got one that’ll live on for a while. With the clock winding down, he nailed a step-back jumper at the buzzer, sinking the Heat and putting the Grizzlies back in the win column with a 110–108 finish. The silence in the arena? Music to his ears. Morant took it in, skipping away like a movie villain who just stole the final scene.

“I feel like I’ve been the villain for the last two years now,” Morant said. “Not even just to this crowd.”

That label’s stuck with him, and at this point, he’s not running from it. He had just 3 points by halftime but flipped the switch in the second, torching Miami for 27 more to end with 30. The Grizzlies? Snapped a four-game losing streak and climbed back to No. 6 in the West, who have since slipped to 8th.

You’d think that shot would be the headline—but nope. Morant’s gun-like hand gesture after a made three caught eyes again, especially after the league already warned him and Buddy Hield earlier this week.

“I’m well aware,” Morant said. “I’m kind of used to it… I don’t care no more.”

Coach Tuomas Iisalo, who finally got his first win, praised Ja’s killer instinct. Jaren Jackson Jr. added, “I wouldn’t boo him.”

Love him or hate him, Morant’s impact is undeniable. And with the playoffs creeping closer, he’s clearly not backing down from the spotlight.