NBA Game Reviews: December 30, 2020

1. LaMelo Ball is starting to show signs of becoming a future star

LaMelo Ball has struggled with his shot early in his career but hasn’t allowed that to stop him from making an impact. Coming into tonight, LaMelo was averaging just 6.3 points per game on 33% shooting, but showed flashes of his passing and defensive versatility that led to him being the No. 3 overall pick in this year’s draft. On Wednesday, LaMelo played his most complete game of the year, as his Hornets upset the Mavericks 118-99 in Dallas. Ball finished the game with 22 points on 7/10 shooting and 4/5 from deep, adding eight rebounds and five assists. 

Ball controlled his team while on the court, and constantly put his teammates in a position to score. The Hornets rookie will have to continue to improve on his shot, which his brother Lonzo also struggled with early in his career. But LaMelo is not his brother, and he hopes his time overseas has helped him prepare for being a professional in the NBA. LaMelo is going to go through growing pains this year (like any rookie), but a performance like this exemplifies why Charlotte believes they’ve already found Kemba Walker’s successor.

2. All it takes is 3 weeks of Ja Morant absences for Memphis’ playoff chances to go down the drain

COLORS KEY | FULL GRIZZLIES FUTURE OUTLOOK

Grizzlies star point guard Ja Morant is out 3-5 weeks with a Grade 2 ankle sprain. With that timeline, he could miss over 20 games this year, in an already abbreviated 72-game season. The Grizzlies now sit at 1-3 in an extremely crowded Western Conference, and will be playing catch-up the next month without their best player and playmaker on the floor. It’s just one week into the season, but the Grizzlies playoff chances are dwindling considering their best two players are both out for an extended period of time in addition to Justise Winslow.

The Grizzlies faced the Celtics in their first game without Ja, in a lackluster 126-107 defeat. The Grizzlies looked lethargic all night, allowing Boston to open up a 26-point lead by halftime, which they would maintain until garbage time. It may be too early to write a team off, but injuries may have gotten the better of the Grizzlies this season. Morant is out for the next month or so, there’s no timetable on Jaren Jackson Jr.’s potential return, Justise Winslow’s hip hasn’t recovered still, and even Grayson Allen now has a sprained ankle. Memphis looked promising with Ja Morant, but without him, their postseason odds have disintegrated.