Magic's stars play meekly in loss to Morant, Grizzlies

To cap off the second of two international games, the Memphis Grizzlies rolled over the Orlando Magic, 126-109, inside The O2 Arena in London, England. What were a few of our takeaways?! Let's examine!

Ja Morant toys with Magic in return:

Grizzlies Magic — Dec 26, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) reacts during the second quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images | Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Less than three weeks ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline, Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant has been the hotbead of recent rumors.

The Grizzlies star hasn't been available all that often this season, playing in just 18 games after just 59 combined each of the previous two seasons. Well, Morant returned from a six-game absence (calf) and didn't miss a beat.

The two-time All-Star controlled the game from start to finish. He had 20 points and 10 assists ... in the first half, knocking down his first five field goal attempts, including his first three 3-pointers.

Morant took his foot off the gas in the second half, but still had 24 points and 13 assists on 7-of-13 shooting.

Nevertheless, there have been a lot of questions about Morant's health and effectiveness over the last several games. It's just one game, but he tabled some of those concerns in the Grizzlies' dominant 17-point win.

A striking mix of steady handles, sleek passes, and superlative shots.

Ja Morant finished the first half in London with 20 PTS and 10 AST ‼️

He's the first player in Grizzlies franchise history to record 20+ PTS and 10+ AST in a half in the PxP era (since 1997–98). pic.twitter.com/HOZa37fPu9
— NBA (@NBA) January 18, 2026

Magic couldn't climb out of an early hole this time:

Magic Grizzlies — Feb 6, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Orlando Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley reacts in the first quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

In their first of two international contests in Berlin, Germany, the Magic fell behind quickly to Memphis, trailing by as much as 20 points in the first half.

The same thing happened in this game -- but to a greater extent. Behind Morant's dominance, Memphis tallied 40 first-quarter points, leading by as much as 33 with 6:05 left in the first half.

Orlando eventually climbed back and won by seven in Berlin. They were unable to repeat that success in London, struggling to build much momentum offensively or defensively. The Magic's offense is oftentimes fueled best by getting stops on defense. Their shots were falling at a higher frequency over the final 2.5 quarters, but they couldn't slow down Memphis' offense.

Magic need more from stars:

The Magic's three co-stars -- Paolo Banchero, Desmond Bane and Franz Wagner -- have only played eight games together this season. They're still trying to figure out how to play with one another and figure out their spots on the floor.

Life isn't going to be easy in the NBA if you're not making shots. It's a make-or-miss league, after all. But the Magic's three co-stars shot a combined 8-for-27 (29.6 percent) in the first half, accounting for just 18 of the Magic's 53 first-half points.

Goga Bitadze and Wendell Carter Jr. stepped up, but the Magic will need more from their stars in situations where they're reeling.

Right now, Orlando doesn't have any sort of consistency. The trio hasn't had a lot of time to build chemistry. So the final 11 games ahead of the All-Star break will be critical to their success -- individually and collectively -- as they make a postseason push.

Ja Morant toys with Magic in return:

Magic couldn't climb out of an early hole this time:

Magic need more from stars:

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