The most memorable moment of the Memphis Grizzlies’ 101-96 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday night was the on-court exchange between Ja Morant and Klay Thompson after the conclusion of the contest.
Ja and Klay after the game 👀 pic.twitter.com/H3DazXqipG
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 23, 2025
It was just jawing, nothing got physical, but Thompson had some harsh comments for Morant after the game.
"It was really just running his mouth, and he’s been running his mouth for a long time, and it’s funny to run your mouth when you’re on the bench,” Thompson said. “It’s kind of the story of his career so far, just leaving us wanting more.
"We all want to see him out there and do his best," Thompson added. "But, he’s just been letting a lot of other stuff get in the way of that. … When you’re a star, it comes with a great responsibility, and I’d hate to see that go to waste.”
For what it's worth, Thompson's message that Morant needs to stop self-sabotaging isn't wrong, though Morant probably won't appreciate the messenger.
Morant is currently sidelined with a calf strain, so he didn't even play in the game against the Mavericks. Meanwhile, Thompson played 28 minutes and scored 22 points off of the bench for Dallas.
Both guys are probably frustrated at this point in the season, as both of their respective teams have struggled. Memphis has started the season with a 6-11 record, while Dallas has won just five of its first 18 games.
Overall though, it's safe to say that Thompson just isn't the biggest fan of the Grizzlies.
"They just talk a lot," Thompson said of Memphis. "They've always talked a lot. And never really backed it up either, so I don't really respect that. I respect guys who back up the talk with play, because talk is cheap."