Grizzlies star point guard Ja Morant is dealing with another potentially serious injury.
While Memphis finds itself in a 2-1 hole with Game 4 on the road, a suddenly more pressing issue is the status of its All-Star point guard who left the game in the 4th quarter and proceeded back to the locker room prior to the final horn.
Here’s the latest on Morant’s injury.
What is Ja Morant’s injury?
The injury occurred late in the fourth quarter of Memphis’ Game 3 loss to the Warriors in San Francisco in their second-round playoff series.
The injury appeared to occur during a trap at halfcourt by the Warriors. Morant atempted initially to play through the pain, but limped off onto the bench with around 6:19 left in the final term. he appeared visibly agitated before the Grizzlies’ medical team led him back to the locker room for further examination.
Ja Morant looking visibly frustrated on the bench and heads to the back early with a knee/leg injury 🙁#NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/XqRqVYRjZc
— Def Pen Hoops (@DefPenHoops) May 8, 2022
He had 34 points and seven assists in the game.
How long will Ja Morant be out?
There has been no official word as yet from the Grizzlies as to what Morant’s injury is, or how long he will be out.
The Grizzlies did not provide an immediate update during the game. We will continue to monitor for any updates.
Grizzlies record without Ja Morant this season
There is only one day off between Games 3 and 4 in the Warriors vs. Grizzlies series which will surely ignite chatter around Morant’s potential availability pending any official word from the team.
Morant missed 25 games during the regular season with the Grizzlies posting a 20-5 record. While that did include a win over the Warriors in March, it’s worth noting that Golden State did not have Stephen Curry, Draymond Green or Klay Thompson in that game.
The Grizzlies will likely need to lean on their defense in the event Morant can’t go. During two different extended stretches without their All-Star point guard, the Grizzlies posted the NBA’s No. 1 ranked defense led by Jaren Jackson Jr. whose performance without Morant fueled some Defensive Player of the Year buzz.
