By Matthew CoudenShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberDuring and after a matchup between two struggling NBA teams, a war of words erupted between the Memphis Grizzlies' Ja Morant and the Dallas Mavericks' Klay Thompson.
The incident occurred in Dallas, where the Grizzlies, playing without Morant due to injury, defeated the Mavericks, 102-96. Morant began jawing at Thompson after the buzzer sounded, prompting officials, security personnel, and coaches to intervene before it escalated further.
Morant continued his jabs at the multi-time All-Star and four-time NBA Champion during his teammate Cam Spencer's postgame interview. Spencer, playing 24 minutes off the bench, finished with 17 points on 6-for-10 shooting, including three of five three-pointers.
Read more: James Harden Has 3-Word Message After Setting Clippers Record
"Tell him who the best shooter in the house was, it wasn’t bro from Golden State," Morant said as he came in from the side during Spencer's interview.
...Both Thompson and Spencer have mostly played as reserves this season, filling in as necessary when others are out of the starting lineup. Thompson is averaging just over half a point more than Spencer this season, but the Grizzlies reserve is also shooting at a 42.7 percent field goal rate, compared to 34.7 percent for Thompson.
Reporters spoke with Thompson postgame about what Morant said to him to cause such a ruckus after the game.
"He's a funny guy. He has a lot to say all the time, especially for a guy who rarely takes accountability," he said per ESPN.
"Nothing of intelligent depth. Just running his mouth. He’s been running his mouth a long time. It’s funny you run your mouth when you’re on the bench. It’s kinda been the whole story of his career so far, we all want to see more," he said from the team's locker room.
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Thompson, who finished with 22 points in the loss, calmly said that everyone wants to see Morant out there doing his best, but "he's letting a lot of other stuff get in the way."
He spoke about Morant being a star who carries "great responsibility" for his team and the league, suggesting "you hate to see it going to waste."
Several weeks ago, Morant began making headlines due to his frustration with his current team, sparking significant trade speculation. That situation included a one-game suspension after a failed discussion between the Grizzlies' head coach and Morant.
Through 12 games this season, Morant is averaging 17.9 points, 7.6 assists, and 3.5 rebounds per game. However, Memphis is 6-11 in an already-stacked Western Conference.
On the other side, Thompson, 35, is playing for the second team in his career, after being part of the Warriors' championship-winning big three alongside Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. Thompson's Mavs are currently 5-13 after Saturday's loss, as they face injury situations with star players Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving.
Read more: Lakers’ JJ Redick Sends Strong Message on Chris Paul Retiring
For more about the Dallas Mavericks, visit Newsweek Sports.
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