- Ja Morant threw down an incredible dunk over Wolves guard Malik Beasley.
- After the game, Morant said the dunk was "easy" because Beasley is only 6-foot-4.
- The dunk sparked a comeback win for the Grizzlies, and he scored 18 points in the fourth quarter.
Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant threw down one of the greatest playoff dunks in NBA history on Tuesday.
With 11 seconds remaining in the 3rd quarter of Game 5, and the Grizzlies trailing the Minnesota Timberwolves by 13, Morant drove to the right. With a clear lane to the basket, Morant elevated, gathering just from inside the free throw line.
Wolves guard Malik Beasley slid into the paint to draw the charge, a regrettable decision, as Morant soared over him, cocking the ball back and throwing down an incredible dunk as Beasley fell to the floor.
The Memphis crowd erupted as TNT's Ian Eagle exclaimed, pun-intended,po "A jaw-breaker!"
Few poster dunks are ever so smooth, so clean — it was a picturesque slam from one of the league's most athletic players.
But after the game, Morant was less than impressed with his own feat of athleticism.
"I really wasn't excited about the dunk," Morant said. "It was over a guard — that's pretty easy."
Morant has indeed thrown down some incredible dunks over 7-footers. But Beasley is listed at 6-foot-4, and Morant practically hurdled him, something few others in the league could dream of doing.
Morant did credit the dunk with igniting his team and the crowd, and he was correct. The Grizzlies outscored the Wolves 37-24 in the fourth quarter, with Morant chipping in 18 of his 30 points, including the game-winning layup with 1 second left.
Perhaps it was Grizzlies forward Desmond Bane who had the proper reaction to the poster over Beasley.
"Poor guy," Bane said. "I like Beasley, too. He's a good dude. But ... He gonna see that on Twitter tomorrow."