To say the Memphis Grizzlies had a rough night would be a colossal understatement. In their highly anticipated first playoff clash against the top-seeded OKC Thunder, the Grizzlies didn’t just lose; they endured a brutal 131-80 dismantling. A gaping 51-point deficit on the scoreboard was an outright humiliation—a stark illustration of playoff basketball’s unforgiving nature. But the on-court drubbing, as significant as it was, proved to be merely the opening act for a post-game drama that ignited a firestorm of debate across the league, centering on the optics of their star player’s reaction to the lopsided defeat.

As the game slipped further out of reach, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith couldn’t hold back. With cameras panning to Ja Morant laughing it up on the bench while his team got demolished, Smith went in. “You do not want to see the superstar for your team on the bench losing by 50 with a smile on his face,” he said, clearly unimpressed. And just like that, the focus shifted from the Grizzlies’ collapse to Morant’s body language.

But then came Carmelo Anthony, who threw his perspective into the mix. On the latest episode of 7PM in Brooklyn, Melo didn’t downplay Morant’s struggles. “It’s like me against the world,” he said, tapping into the mindset he sees Ja dealing with. “He’s going through the fire.” According to Melo, it’s not just about bouncing back—it’s about steering clear of moments that fuel the fire in the first place.

Naturally, the advice didn’t stop there. Melo got real about the journey ahead. “And it’s like, when you going through the fire, it’s a damn if you do, damn if you don’t situation,” he said. “He gotta just sit still and just get through the fire. And once you get through the fire, everything else will work itself out.” A calm mindset, Melo suggests, could be Ja’s best weapon right now.

Because once that mindset shifts, so does everything else. “And the narrative shifts just like that,” Melo added. “Because if he wasn’t at all the other shit that he had going on, that laugh right there wouldn’t be talked about as much.” Still, the real question lingers—was Stephen A. too harsh, or was he just holding Ja to the standard of a superstar?

Was Ja Morant’s smile really that deep? Stephen A. thinks so

It’s not every day you watch a team lose by 51 and somehow find more heat after the final buzzer. But that’s exactly what happened with Ja Morant. While fans were already frustrated, cameras caught the Grizzlies star cracking a smile on the bench. That didn’t sit right with Stephen A. Smith.

“I know the brother is an elite competitor,” he said on First Take. “But people don’t want to see you laughing when you’re getting your a– kicked like that.” For him, it raised one big question: was Ja really locked in or thinking about “vacation plans or something?”

What made this sting even more was how Stephen A. rolled back the tape on his own stance. He reminded everyone that he gave Ja the benefit of the doubt when the league suspended him for flashing a gun on IG Live last season. Back then, Smith didn’t pile on—in fact, he backed him. But this time, it was different. “Don’t smile during a beatdown,” he said bluntly. It’s not just about optics—it’s about how it hits the people rooting for you.

To make things worse, this wasn’t an isolated moment. “Y’all down 50, and you on the bench laughing?” Smith said, pointing out Morant did something similar last postseason. Yes, he had 17 points, but that stat line felt hollow with the scoreboard screaming 131-80.

Even so, Ja tried to calm the noise. After the game, he said, “We will never play that bad again.” With Game 2 around the corner, all eyes are back on him—not just for his stats, but his attitude, too.

The Memphis Grizzlies’ disastrous playoff opener against the Thunder not only exposed their on-court vulnerabilities but also ignited a critical examination of their young superstar’s leadership and emotional maturity. Is he a player who needs to be held to an uncompromising standard of seriousness in the face of defeat, or is he a young man navigating immense pressure, whose coping mechanisms might be misinterpreted?

Ultimately, the true depth of Morant’s smile remains a matter of speculation, but the ensuing debate serves as a stark reminder of the often unforgiving expectations placed upon NBA superstars, particularly those with a history of off-court missteps. As the Grizzlies look to rebound in the series, Morant’s on-court performance will be paramount, but equally crucial will be his ability to demonstrate the gravity of the situation and reassure a concerned fanbase that his focus remains firmly on leading his team back into contention.