Taylor Jenkins it’s very true. Ja Morant lack of indiscipline and abiding to game plan caused us the game…

Taylor Jenkins: “It’s Very True—Ja Morant’s Lack of Discipline Cost Us the Game”

The Memphis Grizzlies’ locker room was tense. The air was thick with frustration, the kind that lingers after a game that should have been won but slipped away due to mistakes—avoidable ones. Head coach Taylor Jenkins sat at the podium, his face a mix of disappointment and determination.

“It’s very true,” he began, his voice measured but firm. “Ja Morant’s lack of discipline and failure to stick to the game plan cost us tonight.”

The reporters in the room shifted in their seats, some exchanging glances. It wasn’t often that a coach called out his star player so directly. But after what had happened on the court, it was hard to argue.

The Collapse

The Grizzlies had entered the fourth quarter with a nine-point lead against the Dallas Mavericks. The game had been physical, but Memphis controlled the tempo—until Morant started to stray from the system. Instead of running set plays, he forced unnecessary isolation drives. Instead of managing the clock, he rushed into contested shots. Turnovers piled up, leading to fast-break points for Dallas.

Jenkins had called timeout after timeout, trying to refocus his team, but Morant’s frustration was evident. He waved off teammates, overdribbled, and took shots that weren’t part of the plan. Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving took full advantage, orchestrating a comeback that stunned the home crowd.

When the final buzzer sounded, the scoreboard read 116-111, Mavericks. Memphis had blown a lead they should have protected, and Jenkins knew exactly why.

Post-Game Reflection

Morant sat in front of his locker, staring at the stat sheet. His numbers were solid—27 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds—but they didn’t tell the full story. The five turnovers in the fourth quarter did. The missed defensive assignments did. The hero-ball approach when the team needed composure did.

He knew Jenkins was right. The coach’s words stung, but they weren’t wrong.

“I gotta be better,” Morant admitted to reporters after the game. “I let my emotions get the best of me, and I didn’t execute. That’s on me.”

Moving Forward

The loss was painful, but it could be a turning point. Jenkins wasn’t calling out Morant to shame him—he was challenging him to grow. The Grizzlies were a talented team, but discipline and execution would determine how far they could go.

As the team left the arena, there was no doubt about their talent. The question was whether their leader would learn from this moment—or let it define him.