Grizzlies star Ja Morant listed out for Game 5 with any playoff return
doubtful
Morant was diagnosed with a bone bruise in his right knee, Grizzlies
announced Tuesday
>MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE – MAY 3: Memphis Grizzlies’ Ja Morant (12) takes a
shot against Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (30) and Golden State
Warriors’ Draymond Green (23) in the fourth quarter of Game 2 of an NBA
basketball second-round Western Conference playoff series at the FedEx
Forum in Memphis, Tenn., on Tuesday, May 3, 2022. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay
Area News Group)
>MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE – MAY 3: Memphis Grizzlies’ Ja Morant (12) takes a
shot against Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry (30) and Golden State
Warriors’ Draymond Green (23) in the fourth quarter of Game 2 of an NBA
basketball second-round Western Conference playoff series at the FedEx
Forum in Memphis, Tenn., on Tuesday, May 3, 2022. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay
Area News Group)
By MICHAEL NOWELS | mnowels@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group
PUBLISHED: May 10, 2022 at 4:15 p.m. | UPDATED: May 10, 2022 at 4:16 p.m.
https://www.eastbaytimes.com/2022/05/10/grizzlies-star-ja-morant-listed-out-for-game-5-with-any-playoff-return-doubtful/

The Warriors will be playing an undermanned Grizzlies team Wednesday
night when they try to close out their series in Memphis.

Star guard Ja Morant, the NBA’s Most Improved Player, is out for
Memphis’ must-win Game 5 as the Warriors lead the Western Conference
semifinals 3-1. He has been diagnosed with a bone bruise in his right
knee, the Grizzlies announced Tuesday, and is doubtful to return to the
playoffs no matter how much longer his team remains alive.

Morant also missed Game 4 Monday night at Chase Center, a 101-98
Warriors win that was sluggish from both teams.

As plenty of commentators have pointed out, Memphis was 20-5 without
Morant in the regular season on its way to the No. 2 seed in the West,
but the Grizzlies have relied more heavily on him in the postseason.
He’s scoring 27.1 points per game in the playoffs, including 47 and 35
points in back-to-back performances in Games 2 and 3 against the Warriors.

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Morant and Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins pointed to one Game 3 play in
particular for the injury: Two Warriors trapped Morant and Jordan Poole
grabbed Morant’s knee while reaching for the ball.

The NBA did not discipline Poole for the play. Morant also battled knee
issues late in the season.

Morant has averaged 38.3 points, 8.3 assists and 6.7 rebounds over four
games in the series against the Warriors.

--
Michael Nowels | Digital Sports Strategist
Mike covers sports.