Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant appeared to make a finger-gun gesture during his team's 110-108 win over the Miami Heat despite receiving a warning from the NBA. Morant, who scored the game-winner at the buzzer later in the game, made the gesture multiple times during the game, most notably after he hit threes in the first and third quarters. The NBA had issued warnings to Morant and Warriors guard Buddy Hield after the pair made similar gestures during Memphis' 134-125 loss to Golden State. According to ESPN, the league believed that both gestures were inappropriate but were not intended to be violent in nature. Morant made the gesture during a timeout in which he formed gun fingers on both hands and pointed them towards the Warriors' bench with his left arm extended. Hield appeared to have made his gesture before Morant, with officials responding to the incident by handing technical fouls to both players. Despite the criticism aimed towards Morant, the 25-year-old said he is “kind of used to it” and believes he has been the “villain for two years now.” Morant has been previously suspended by the NBA for brandishing a firearm on social media on two separate occasions. The two-time All-Star was first banned for waving a gun on Instagram Live at a Denver nightclub in March 2023, prompting an indefinite suspension from the league, which lasted eight games. Morant was later suspended for the first 25 games of the 2023-24 season after brandishing a firearm on his friend's Instagram live stream in May 2023.