Even if he entered as the Memphis Grizzlies second pick in the 2019 Draft, Ja Morant played his first year in the league like he was a superstar. The thing is, GG Jackson II has eclipsed the franchise player during his rookie run in one area that certainly counts.
Just recently, the Nikola Jokic-led Denver Nuggets overcame the Grizzlies in a 126-111 win over them. Even if the two-time MVP and NBA champion didn’t fill up the stat sheet, he still dropped 15 points, 15 rebounds, five assists, and four steals in 30 minutes. Jamal Murray made 21 points on 50 percent shooting from the field to help Mile High City go home with the victory.
The Grizzlies, on the other hand, had a monster performance from rookie GG Jackson II. In 44 minutes on the court, Memphis’ young forward posted 44 points, 12 rebounds, one assists, two steals and a single block against the Nuggets. Jake LaRavia contributed 29 points in a game without Morant , Desmond Bane, or Jaren Jackson Jr.
The game cemented Memphis’ record of 27 wins and 55 lossess as the regular season has ended for the team. The Nuggets, meanwhile, finish with the second seed and a 57-25 record in the Western Conference.
Memphis Grizzlies Rookie GG Jackson II Achieves Record Not Even Ja Morant Did
After the game, Jackson was receiving a lot of acclaim for doing something Morant never did in his rookie campaign. In a pair of tweets posted by StatMuse and the Grizzlies’ official account on X:
“GG Jackson tonight: 44 PTS 12 REB 4 3P
The first rookie in NBA history to reach those numbers in a game,” StatMuse tweeted.
Even though the Grizzlies had a disappointing run this season due to the prolonged absences of their key players, Jackson was a bright spot that provided fans a semblance of hope for the franchise. Over the course of 48 games, the rookie averaged 14.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.2 assists.
Now that the regular season is done for Memphis, the franchise can focus on competing later this year. Hopefully, Jackson will have a larger role with the team moving forward.
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