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Warriors vs. Grizzlies rivalry, explained: How Ja Morant tweet and Draymond Green trash talk led to 2022 Christmas Day game

Scott Rafferty

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Warriors vs. Grizzlies rivalry, explained: How Ja Morant tweet and Draymond Green trash talk led to 2022 Christmas Day game image

Ja Morant and Draymond Green got what they wanted.

One of the five games on this season's star-studded Christmas Day slate is a postseason rematch between the Grizzlies and Warriors.

The two teams met in the second round of the 2022 NBA Playoffs. The Warriors defeated the Grizzlies in six highly entertaining games, but Morant suffered an injury in Game 3 that sidelined him for the remainder of the series.

Ask Morant, and he'll tell you the Grizzlies were the favorites in the matchup, not the Warriors.

That alone would have set the foundation for the NBA's next great rivalry — an up-and-coming team trying to upend a dynasty — but Morant and Green poured gasoline on the fire with a back-and-forth on Twitter.

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How Ja Morant tweet and Draymond Green trash talk led to 2022 Christmas Day game

This story actually starts with Klay Thompson.

You see, Thompson had some stuff he had to get off his chest after the Warriors defeated the Celtics in Game 6 of the 2022 NBA Finals to capture Golden State's fourth championship in eight seasons. He talked about his road to recovery and the feeling of being on top of the basketball world again, but it was him remembering one tweet from "a player on the Grizzlies" that went viral.

"Strength in numbers is alive and well," Thompson said. "There was this one player on the Grizzlies who tweeted 'Strength in Numbers' after they beat us in the regular season and it pissed me off so much. I can't wait to retweet that thing. Freakin' bum. I had to watch that. I was like 'this freaking clown.'

"OK, OK, OK. Sorry, that memory just popped up.

"You're going to mock us? Like, you ain't never been there before, bruh. We've been there. We know what it takes. So to be here again, hold that."

That "one player" would be Jaren Jackson Jr., who tweeted "Strength in numbers" on March 29, 2022, the day after the Grizzlies defeated the Warriors by 28 points in a game Jackson, Morant, Curry, Green and Thompson all missed.

If you were wondering, yes, the tweet is still up.

A couple of days later, the trash talk between Morant and Green began.

First, Morant responded to Thompson's rant with a "real estate" tweet.

Then, Green fired back.

Morant and Green exchanged a few more pleasantries — Green kindly reminded Morant of how many championships the Warriors now have with a GIF of ... Morant — which included a pair of tweets that set the wheels in motion for a Christmas Day showdown.

On Aug. 13, news broke that the Grizzlies and Warriors would indeed face off on Christmas Day in Golden State. The Warriors have been a staple on Christmas Day, but this marks the first time the Grizzlies will play on the holiday, a testament to Morant's star power.

Morant will have to spend Christmas Day away from Memphis, but he'll at least have a home-cooked meal to look forward to after the game.

What is Strength in Numbers?

"Strength in Numbers" has been Golden State's rallying cry for most of its remarkable stretch.

Former Warriors president Rick Welts credited Steve Kerr with bringing it to the team when he took over as head coach.

"I think Steve Kerr, from the day he got here and the way he operates, is the strength of the team and that everybody has a contribution to make and that's really where the Strength in Numbers came from," Welts said.

Scott Rafferty

Scott Rafferty Photo

 

Scott Rafferty is an experienced NBA journalist who first started writing for The Sporting News in 2017. There are few things he appreciates more than a Nikola Jokic no-look pass, Klay Thompson heat check or Giannis Antetokounmpo eurostep. He's a member of the NBA Global team.