Pacers guard Bruce Brown was blunt as he summed up what it's like to guard Ja Morant.

"He's super quick," Brown said. "Great first step. You know he's going left but it's elite, you can't really stop it. Like you know Kobe's going to the fade, MJ's going to the fade, he's going left. You can't really stop it."

In his first home game since returning from a 25-game suspension to start the season, Morant led the Memphis Grizzlies to a 116-103 win over the Pacers on Thursday night at FedExForum. He had 20 points, eight assists and five rebounds as the Grizzlies won just their second home game and the first time they won back-to-back this season.

It was a raucous environment at FedExForum, fueled by fans who have been waiting all season to see Memphis' star player take the court. That caught the attention of the Pacers, who trailed early in the first quarter.

"We knew it'd be rowdy," Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton said. "This crowd has been amazing the last few years. And getting their star back, we knew it was going to be a hostile environment."

The Grizzlies, who are 8-19, have struggled without Morant, but also have had to deal with significant injuries to key players like Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard, and Steven Adams is out for the season.

But they've been a different team in the two games since Morant's return. And FedExForum was loud throughout Thursday's game, a far cry from earlier this season when Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards called the environment in the arena "dead" after a Wolves win.

"Being his first game, you could tell that there was something extra in here, the fans," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. "I didn't see an empty seat anywhere in the place. It's the kind of environment that you want to play in, especially if you're a young team that's trying to make the climb like we are. Going through this, it's a great experience for us."

The Grizzlies led by 22 points in the second quarter, but the Pacers clawed their way back and took a lead early in the third. That's when Memphis turned it around and took control of the game.

"I thought Morant played well," Carlisle said. "He's a great player. It's great for our league that he's back and playing at his level. It's bad news for opponents trying to guard him and trying to play against the Grizzlies, but happy for him that he's back."

Reach sports writer Jonah Dylan at jonah.dylan@commercialappeal.com or on Twitter @thejonahdylan.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Pacers knew Memphis Grizzlies' Ja Morant would have home crowd 'rowdy'