By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Mobbed by his teammates after setting new NBA highs in points and rebounds, Santi Aldama added to the excitement surrounding the Memphis Grizzlies by previewing an energy boost with the return of Ja Morant.
“It’s great to have him back. He has great energy. We can’t wait to have him back, have him with us on the floor,” the Spanish forward/center in a joyful mood referred to Morant after his career night with his teammate participating in celebrations.
Defeating the Dallas Mavericks in FedExForum Monday, Aldama chipped in 22 points, 14 rebounds, and two assists over 28 minutes.
Morant, 23, resumed practices and is expected to play against the Houston Rockets Wednesday. He served NBA’s eight-game suspension for the well-documented gun incident. Since being sidelined, the Grizzlies have won six out of nine games, including six of the last seven in the 2022-23 NBA Regular Season.
“We are finding a way to overcome that. We are showing it in the last games,” noted Aldama in the postgame press conference, “We always talk about playing our best basketball at the end of the year. The year is super long. You have ups and downs, more players in the lineup, fewer players in the lineup. But at the end of the day, it’s all about trusting the work you put in.”
Displaying massive improvement in his second NBA campaign, he is up to 9.1 points per game with 46.8% on field goals. An exciting prospect coming out of Loyola University Maryland in 2021, he has also tallied 4.6 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.7 blocks, and 0.6 steals per contest providing a push in the hunt for the second seed on the Western Conference Playoffs bracket.
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