Ja Morant "excited to be back" after successful season debut, injury return in Grizzlies' win

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Ja Morant’s ability to take over a game hasn’t diminished.

Morant didn’t miss a beat in leading the Memphis Grizzlies to a 126-124 season-opening victory over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday night. The two-time NBA all-star finished with 22 points on 7-of-12 shooting, 10 assists and five rebounds in only 28 minutes. It was the 24th game of his career where he had at least 20 points, 10 assists and five rebounds.

“My job as a point guard is to control the game,” Morant said. “I hate if I let the other team’s point guard control the game. Whatever I can do to make sure it’s in our favor, I try to do.”

His performance comes on the heels of a 2023-24 season marred by controversy and injury. The NBA suspended him for the first 25 games for flashing a gun on his friend’s Instagram account. Then, after appearing in just nine games, Morant suffered a season-ending shoulder injury.

The long rehabilitation process he went through following shoulder surgery made Morant appreciate how much basketball meant to him while it was gone. Once he was cleared for full basketball activities again in mid-July, he looked forward to stepping back out on the court on Wednesday.

The moment was everything he expected and wanted.

“I was just excited to be back out there,” Morant said. “These guys trust and believe in me every time I’m out there on the floor, so it’s only right I go out there and play free.”

Morant’s activity on both ends of the floor helped the Grizzlies weather a fourth-quarter rally from the Jazz. He came up with timely baskets or assists whenever Memphis needed an answer. Defensively, he worked to be disruptive and keep the Jazz from permanently seizing momentum down the stretch.

Morant made every minute he was on the floor count.

“He only played 28 minutes tonight,” Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said. “But those were hard-playing 28 minutes.”

Morant’s goal is to be even more productive and efficient as he gets continued reps. It’s an extension of the work he put in over the summer to improve his game and heighten his impact on the floor.

“That was the biggest takeaway from this summer is the investment in his body, knowing we’re going to continue to push him even more than we’ve done in the past,” Jenkins said. “He responded in game one. We’re going to need it for many, many more games moving forward.”

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Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant prepares to shoot a free throw in the first half of an NBA preseason basketball game against the Miami Heat, Friday, Oct. 18, 2024, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant handles the ball against the Miami Heat in the first half of an NBA preseason basketball game Friday, Oct. 18, 2024, in Memphis, Tenn. (AP Photo/Brandon Dill)

Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George (3) dribbles the ball while Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rob Gray)

Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) holds the ball against the Utah Jazz during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024, in Salt Lake City. (AP Photo/Rob Gray)

In the past week, many Americans remained focused on the economy, inflation and how those forces could impact their lives. Trips to the grocery store or gas station are more painful than they were last year, and that is impacting the decisions of both households and businesses.

Here’s a snapshot of prominent economic data and news that occurred over the past week and what it potentially means for you.

America’s employers delivered a surprising 115,000 new jobs last month despite an economic shock from the Iran war.

Hiring was better than the 65,000 forecasters had expected, though it decelerated from the 185,000 jobs created in March. The unemployment rate remained at a low 4.3%, the Labor Department reported Friday.

Healthcare added 37,000 jobs last month and retailers 22,000. However, manufacturers cut 2,000 jobs in April and have shed 66,000 jobs over the past year despite President Donald Trump’s protectionist policies aimed at creating factory jobs.

The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate rose again this week, reflecting ongoing bond market volatility as surging oil prices due to the war with Iran heighten inflation worries.

The benchmark 30-year fixed rate mortgage rate rose to 6.37% from 6.3% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. That’s still down from one year ago, when the rate averaged 6.76%.

This is the second straight weekly increase, bringing the average rate back to where it was four weeks ago.

Weekly U.S. jobless claim applications rose last week but remain at historically low levels despite elevated inflation and other economic headwinds.

The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits in the week ending May 2 rose by 10,000 to 200,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday. That’s fewer than the 205,000 new applications analysts surveyed by the data firm FactSet were expecting.

The previous week’s new claims figure, which was the fewest since 1969, was revised up by 1,000 to 190,000.

Weekly filings for unemployment benefits are considered a proxy for U.S. layoffs and are close to a real-time indicator of the health of the job market.

U.S. job openings were essentially unchanged in March but hiring improved before the full impact of the Iran war hit the economy.

Employers posted 6.87 million jobs in March, compared to 6.92 million in February, the Labor Department reported Tuesday.

The job market has been up and down so far this year after a dismal 2025. And the Iran war, which began Feb. 28, has clouded the outlook for the economy and hiring.

The Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey showed that layoffs rose in March. But hiring improved: Employers added 5.55 million gross jobs, the most since February 2024. More Americans also quit their jobs — a sign of confidence in their prospects.

U.S. stocks rose toward new highs to end the week on promising news in the labor market and also more strong earnings for major U.S. corporations.

The S&P 500 climbed 0.5% toward an all-time high after a report said U.S. employers added 115,000 more jobs than they cut last month, even though the war with Iran is raising fuel costs and uncertainty for everyone.

While hiring slowed from March’s level, it was nevertheless nearly double what economists expected. And it kept the S&P 500 on track for a sixth straight winning week, which would be its longest such streak since 2024. The U.S. stock market has blasted higher since late March, in part on hopes that the war will not mean a worst-case scenario for the global economy and that the Strait of Hormuz will reopen to allow oil tankers to deliver crude from the Persian Gulf again.

Trader Edward McCarthy, left, and Michael Milano work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Thursday, May 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

FILE - The per-gallon price is displayed elecronically over the grades of gasoline available at a Buc-ee's convenience stop Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Johnstown, Colo. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, file)

FILE - Hiring sign for sales professionals is displayed at a store, in Vernon Hills, Ill., Wednesday, April 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, file)