MEMPHIS – ‘All that stuff is pretty much false.’

Seven words is pretty much all Ja Morant had to say Tuesday morning at shootaround about ‘the’ hot topic around the NBA.

The Grizzlies star guard refuting a report in The Athletic of a run-in between friends and members of the Indiana Pacers in the loading dock of FedExForum back on January 29th.

A report claimed a red laser was pointed at Pacers personnel from an SUV that Morant was riding in.

Something the NBA investigated and couldn’t corroborate.

That report has put the Grizzlies, again, in the crosshairs of the national media with Morant, calling the Grizz the most hated team in the NBA.

“We are. You see it every day on social media. Anything that, you know, got something to do with the Memphis Grizzlies, it’s frontline. National television.  National people tweeting it, putting it out. Anything else? It don’t be said,” Morant said.  “Feel like we wasn’t the only team on a losing streak.  But we was the only one mentioned.”

As for the Grizzlies’ confidence taking a hit over all the bad publicity.

“We’re good. Yeah. We feel like everybody else stressing. We’re not stressing,” Morant continued.  “There’s going to be struggles during the season. You have your ups and downs. Obviously, we haven’t had any like this. But we’re still confident in our play, where we stand at in this league.”

Morant returns to the lineup Tuesday night when the Grizzlies host the Chicago Bulls.  Morant missed Sunday’s loss to Toronto with a sprained wrist.