Ja Morant, the all-star star of the Memphis Grizzlies, is a no-show on Thursday. He hurt his right ankle, which he rolled in Tuesday’s play-in loss to the Golden State Warriors. His current injury has left his availability in question. We expect their mindset to carry over as the Grizzlies prepare to face the Dallas Mavericks in a potentially pivotal play-in game this Friday night.
The incident occurred late in the third quarter — even more unusual. It was a culmination of events when Morant stepped on Buddy Hield’s foot after being fouled by Quinten Post. With 4:25 remaining in the period, Morant went to the bench nursing the ankle. Though in obvious pain, he came back early in the fourth quarter and concluded the game with 22 points.
Head coach Tuomas Iisalo shared some cautious optimism about Morant’s chance to play in their next game.
“My feel with him is he’ll do absolutely everything in order to play,” – Tuomas Iisalo
Iisalo wanted to make clear that Morant would be on the floor if he could physically play. If we arrive at this stance, it is a literal game-day-decision. The coach’s strong words are a testament to how the team believes in Morant’s drive and fight.
As the Grizzlies prepare for what can only be described as a must-win game, Morant’s status hangs over this pivotal contest. The Tiger’s performance will be important for the Tigers as they bleed into playoff contention.
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