FACT CHECK: LeBron James May Really Have Punched Ja Morant’s Injured Right Hand Prior To 45-Point Explosion in Game 3 vs Lakers

Ja Morant is something else. Until about an hour ahead of game 3 against the LA Lakers, the man was beyond doubtful to play in this game. And even when he was confirmed to be in the Memphis Grizzlies’ starting line-up, many wondered about how well he’d really play, considering his shooting hand is still very much injured.

What were his box score numbers at the end of the game? 45 points, 9 rebounds, 13 assists, along with just 3 turnovers, and 2 personal fouls. Further, the man shot 13 of 26 from the field (50%), a blazing hot 6 of 10 from three (60%), and an almost perfect 13 of 14 from the free-throw line (92.9%). Simply put, a performance in the postseason even Michael Jordan would have been proud of.

Still, he was on the losing side of things here, simply because LeBron James and the Lakers were far too brilliant with their game. They gained a 33-point lead early in this game. And while it did dwindle as the game went on, the franchise was able to hold it together in the end.

However, is there more to it here? Did the King do something to make sure the Grizzlies and their star had such a slow start? Sure, there are rumors of just this happening. However, how true are they really?

 

Did LeBron James punch Ja Morant’s injured right hand ahead of Game 3 against the Lakers?

No, of course, LeBron James did not punch Ja Morant’s injured right hand… right? Well, if you were ever a fan of technicalities, you’re going to enjoy this one. But first, take a look at the clip in the tweet below to get the full idea of what we’re talking about here.

LeBron James punches Ja’s injured hand pregame. pic.twitter.com/PJcdX9AS2C

— Ballsack Sports (@BallsackSports) April 23, 2023

As you could probably tell already, this is the tweet that is the origin of any rumors regarding a punch to Ja Morant’s injured hand. And technically, LeBron James’s big burly fist did smack against the Grizzlies star’s almost-broken one. So maybe…?

Jokes aside, no, LeBron James did not punch Morant’s injured first. It’s as simple as that.

 

What did LeBron James record during game 3 against the Grizzlies?

LeBron James had a relatively calm night against the Memphis Grizzlies, recording 25 points in 36 minutes, along with 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block during this game. Further, he shot an efficient 10 of 20 from the field (50%), a not-so-efficient 0 for 4 from three-point range, and 5 of 7 from the free-throw line (71.4%).