LOS ANGELES – Ja Morant has learnt his lesson, and now he is very clear that “basketball is my life”.

The Memphis Grizzlies guard made a scintillating return from a 25-game suspension on Dec 19, driving for a game-winning lay-up as time expired to lift his team to a 115-113 National Basketball Association (NBA) road victory over the New Orleans Pelicans.

The basket capped a 34-point, eight-assist, six-rebound performance from Morant, who was suspended by the league for the first 25 games of the season after two social media posts in which he appeared to be recklessly waving guns.

He looked a little rusty to start, and a little weary at the finish, but ultimately he delivered everything the Grizzlies could have hoped for and more.

“I ain’t played a game in eight months,” Morant told broadcaster TNT.

“Had a lot of time... and a lot of hard days when I went through it. I’ve been putting work in, man. Had a lot of time to learn about myself.

“But you know, basketball is my life – what I love, therapeutic for me. And I’m just excited to be back.

“There’s nothing like NBA basketball. I just had to lock in and push through – pretty much my life, you know, just continuing to push, no matter what.”

The Pelicans, led by 34 points from Brandon Ingram, were up 60-41 at half-time, but the Grizzlies hit back in the third quarter, cutting the lead to 10 entering the final period.

With 1min 20sec left to play at the Smoothie King Centre, Morant connected with a floater that put them up 111-109 – Memphis’ first lead since the first quarter.

It was tied at 113-113 when he then grabbed the rebound off a C.J. McCollum miss and after a timeout took the ball up the court and sliced into the lane for the game-winner.

“I felt like it was the perfect ending, perfect day – being able to come back and play and also deliver a game-winner for us,” Morant added.

Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins said before the game that the player was “fired up”, adding that his message to the 24-year-old was “go out there, have fun, build chemistry with your teammates and just enjoy this opportunity to be back”.

Morant heard plenty of boos in the early going in New Orleans. But he had support around the league, including a social media post from Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James.

“12 (Morant’s jersey number) welcome back!!” James wrote shortly before the tip-off. “Go be GREAT again!!”

After the game, James posted: “12!!!!That’s All.”

In San Francisco, the Golden State Warriors edged the Eastern Conference-leading Boston Celtics 132-126 in an overtime thriller.

Warriors star Stephen Curry scored 13 of his 33 points in the fourth quarter and seven in overtime to power Golden State’s comeback from a 17-point deficit.

He and Klay Thompson drilled six three-pointers apiece as the Warriors ended Boston’s five-game winning streak.

A Curry three-pointer with 1:36 left in regulation tied the score at 121-121.

Both teams missed chances as they went to the extra session, in which the Warriors grabbed the lead on Jonathan Kuminga’s steal and dunk and never trailed.

Curry said the gritty win was just what the Warriors needed.

“We want to be play-off contenders and these are the type of games that show us that we can be that,” he said.

“We’ve just got to keep putting them together.”

Derrick White led the Celtics with 30 points, Jaylen Brown added 28 and Jayson Tatum chipped in 15 points with eight rebounds and seven assists.

The Celtics (20-6) are still ahead of the Milwaukee Bucks (20-7) – who beat the San Antonio Spurs 132-119 – despite the defeat. AFP