Ja Morant will return, but the questions the Grizzlies are facing are bigger than that and we dive into their challenges. Eventually, we do the same thing talking about USA Basketball and the World Cup.
Ja Morant and his gun incident at a club have understandably drawn the headlines — and an eight-game suspension from the NBA — but the issues with the Grizzlies are larger than that. There are the injuries to Steven Adams (he could return for the postseason) and Brandon Clarke (torn Achilles), but also there is what NBC Sports' Corey Robinson describes as a "punk rock attitude" about the team that can be a source of strength but also lead to undisciplined moments. [Editor's note: This podcast was recorded just a couple of hours before the NBA handed down Morant's suspension.]
Robinson and NBC Sports' Kurt Helin dive into that and what steps the Grizzlies need to take in a tight West playoff race. From there it is Corey's Jukebox segment, with some underground Los Angeles hip hop for the Clippers, and some classic Irish music for the Knicks' Julius Randle.
Finally, the duo discusses the changes at USA Basketball under Grant Hill — now players don't have to play in a World Cup to play in the Olympics? It's a concession to the modern game, but is it good for the American squad in an era where the gap between them and the world's other top teams has shrunk dramatically? The duo also talks a little March Madness — go UC Santa Barbara Gauchos.