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Few players in the NBA have done more to lift their stock this season than Ja Morant. The Memphis Grizzlies star is a legitimate MVP threat as he guides Memphis to an impressive 34-17 record.

Morant is known for being a high-scoring, highly-athletic guard capable of taking over a game. Though according to Draymond Green, his intelligence vaults him into a category with future Hall of Famers LeBron James and Chris Paul.

Little by little, the Grizzlies have become relevant since the third-year guard Morant entered the league. Memphis went 34-39 his rookie season before going 38-34 and securing the Western Conferences eighth seed last year. Now, Morants Grizzlies have nearly matched last seasons win total and comfortably sit in the three-seed.

To no surprise, Morants breakout is the primary reason for Memphis sharp rise. The 22-year-old is averaging a career-high 25.9 points after scoring 17.8 and 19.1 points the last two seasons. He is also shooting a career-best 48.8% from the field and 35.7% from three while averaging 7.0 assists, 6.1 rebounds, and a personal-best 1.3 steals.

Morant has been excellent all season, but hes been especially brilliant since returning from a knee sprain on Dec. 20. Since then, hes averaging 27.6 points on 49.9% shooting. That places him seventh in the NBA ahead of fellow stars Devin Booker, James Harden, and Nikola Jokic.

The former Murray State Racer is currently in the midst of his best five-game stretch of the season. Morant has scored 30 or more points in five straight contests, including a season-best 41 points on Jan. 26. Friday against the Utah Jazz, the 6-foot-3 guard registered his first triple-double of the season with 30 points, 10 boards, and 10 helpers.

One of the teams Morant and the Grizzlies will have to go through out west is the Golden State Warriors. Specifically, theyll have to go through Green.

The 2016-17 Defensive Player of the Year stopped by JJ Redicks podcast The Old Man and the Three to talk about a variety of subjects. When Redick asked Draymond about the smartest players hes gone up against or played with, the Warriors star gave a surprising answer.

The smartest players Ive played against are, by far, LeBron, Rajon Rondo, and Chris Paul, Green said. And whos creeping up into that category is Ja Morant.

Green, a six-time All-Defensive Team selection, elaborated on what impresses him the most about the young Morant.

Everybody is excited about how Ja Morant flies around, everybodys excited about the passes he may throw all of those things are very exciting. Dont get me wrong, they excite me too. But the thing that excites me the most about Ja Morant is when were playing against the Memphis Grizzlies and, not quite to the level of LeBron James, Chris Paul, or Rajon Rondo, but when were playing against those guys, I can feel the chess match. Every possession down, theyre looking at me, scoping me out to see where Im at. Im looking at their guys to see what theyre doing, and every time down the floor its like a chess match. Its like that with Ja.

Draymond stopped short of claiming Morant was at LeBrons overall playing level or whether he was headed to the Hall of Fame. But he sees a very bright future for the Grizzlies star.

Hes in his third year, Green explained. Not quite to the level of those guys yet, but I didnt have the privilege of playing against those guys at that time in their career. But Id only imagine it was along those same lines as Ja.

With Golden State in the two-seed and Memphis in the three-seed, Morant and Green could be going head-to-head in an epic playoff series. It would be a rematch of last years play-in game for the eight-seed, where Ja dropped 35 to help the Grizzlies shock the Dubs 117-112 in overtime.

After his clutch performance in the Bay last year, Morant has kept it rolling against Golden State in 2021-22. In just his fifth game of the year, the former Murray State Racer scored 30 points in a three-point Memphis victory. Three days after returning from injury in December, Morant offered up another 21 points in a nine-point loss on the road. Then on Jan. 11, Ja took advantage of the Green-less Warriors by registering 29 points and eight assists in the eight-point win.

Its a chess match when were playing the Grizzlies, Green told Redick. And I, as the anchor of our defense and facilitator on offense, feel that.

For what its worth, the 10-year veteran does see at least one way to expose Ja. While its better than it has previously been, Morants defense presents an opportunity for growth.

Ja hasnt gotten that part yet of where on the defensive end, I have to be worried about you too because youre so smart [and] youre sniffing out everything, Green said. He is that smart, but he just doesnt understand how to sniff out everything yet. Whereas with those guys (LeBron, CP3, Rondo), Ill throw a pass and LeBron will be right out there waiting as if I was throwing a pass to him.

Considering Morant is still just 22, he has plenty of room to become a highly-intelligent defender. And he might have a chance to do it this spring against Draymond and the Warriors.

All statistics courtesy of Basketball Reference.

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Originally posted here:
Ja Morant Earned a Glowing Comparison to LeBron James and Chris Paul From Draymond Green: I Can Feel the Chess Match - Sportscasting