"It felt good": Ja Morant returns with a dominating revenge win over Magic after Berlin blowout

The NBA Europe Series just delivered a classic tale of two cities, and two very different outcomes. The 118-111 Berlin loss stung the Memphis Grizzlies more after Magic’s Anthony Black poster dunked over their 4 defenders in the 4th quarter. And they were prepared for revenge in the London game. On Sunday night, at a sold-out O2 Arena, the Grizzlies didn't just win, they dismantled the Magic 126-109. It was a statement that Grizzlies do not back down in the face of a challenges rather they flare higher and grow more determined. The Grizzlies put up 40 points against Magic’s 23 in the first quarter, establishing that it’s gonna be a tough night for the latter. But the biggest story of the night wasn't just the 17-point victory, it was the man wearing No. 12. Ja Morant returned after missing six games due to a calf injury, and he delivered. In the 28 minutes he spent on the court, he made sure Magic felt his presence. By the final buzzer, Morant was the highest scorer of the night with 24 points and had 13 assists, while going 7-13 from the field."It felt good," Morant said on returning from injuring and missing two games. "Especially to be able to experience this. First time playing a real overseas game. We here in London. I needed it."When Magic’ Paolo Banchero was asked in the post-game conference about what was different about the Grizzlies from the Berlin game, he said, “Not really. I think the biggest difference was them having Ja Morant out there. He creates so much for their team off the dribble and with his talent, so you can’t really game plan for that.” For the Orlando Magic, the London trip was a sobering reminder of how much Morant can influence the game plan. Banchero struggled to find his rhythm against Memphis’s physical interior defense, finishing with only 16 points on a tough 7-of-20 shooting night. While Anthony Black (19 points) and Wendell Carter Jr. (18 points) tried to mount a fourth-quarter but the point difference was simply too high to climb. The 1-1 series split in Europe leaves both teams with plenty to think about as they head back. The Orlando Magic are now 23-19 and will host the Hornets for their next match. Whereas for the next match Girzzlies (18-23) will also host the Hawks at FedExForum.