April 26: Morant won’t play on Saturday, interim head coach Tuomas Iisalo confirmed to reporters, including Tim MacMahon of ESPN (Twitter link). Still, Iisalo indicated Morant’s diagnosis could’ve been much worse.
“Fortunately, he’s avoided a major injury, which is a big positive,” he said.
April 25: In addition to missing the second half of Game 3 due to the hip injury, Morant will also be sidelined for Game 4 on Saturday, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
The Grizzlies haven’t officially ruled out Morant yet, but have listed him as doubtful for Saturday’s contest (Twitter link).
April 24: Grizzlies star guard Ja Morant exited the team’s Thursday Game 3 matchup with the Thunder due to a hip injury and was ruled out for the rest of the night, the team announced (via Twitter).
Morant took a hard fall toward the end of the second quarter after he was fouled by Oklahoma City’s Luguentz Dort, Tim MacMahon of ESPN writes. Dort wasn’t called for a flagrant foul on the play (Twitter video link).
The Grizzlies point guard left the game after scoring 15 points and five assists in 16 minutes to help his team take a big lead in Game 3. After being injured, Morant went to the free throw line and shot both attempts before heading back to the locker room. Memphis led by 27 points when he exited.
The Grizzlies were down 2-0 in the series after making the playoffs out of the play-in, and obviously missing Morant for any length of time would be a blow to their already slim hopes of upsetting the team with the best record in the NBA.
With Morant out for the game, Luke Kennard took on a larger role in Game 3, starting the second half in Morant’s place and logging 33 total minutes, his highest total since March 3.
It’s unclear whether or not Morant, who was already dealing with an ankle sprain coming into the playoffs, will be able to suit up for Game 4 of the series on Saturday.
How is Dort still on the court? Intentions or not, extremely dangerous action. Pip jr gets a flagrant kneeing Hartenstein while doing a layup and Dort can do this? It’s not like okc are in danger of losing the series but that completely changed game 3.
Dort was still on the court because luckily he wasn’t injured when he slipped while trying to make a play on the ball.
Like I said, intentions and what came of this action are two different things, no? I don’t believe he meant it, doesn’t matter.
Dort took no action other than turning his body. He certainly committed a foul but with no intent to do so whatever.
Like they said after the game this is on Pippen, he should have layed it up. Dort was trying to make a play on the ball and was in process of slipping already. It is an accident.
@ Nrg82
Playing defense and through no fault of your own having someone try to jump completely over you is an “extremely dangerous action”?
Ja was trailing the play and Dort was turning back towards him after Pippen Jr. passed behind him from below the rim and he slipped. Ja can’t help himself from his reckless playing style and this is just the latest example.
No way should Dort have been given a flagrant or an ejection for that play.
No need to even say more.
Memphis go bye bye
Can’t blow a 30pt lead even when your best player goes out. Sweep coming Saturday and likely a 20pt blow out.
Goes for the spectacular poster dunk on a stumbling over guy, while up 30 in the playoffs…Ja Morant is the lowest IQ superstar we have seen in a quite a while.
With ja out
Final score will be
Okc 142 – 57
Says the lowest IQ keyboard warrior in here…. Grain of salt taken.
Losing two rotation guys just too much for Grizz. But losing your coach at this point. Is just not wise. Grizz and Nuggets were fighting for 2nd seed. Now they are fighting for anither day. Just don’t get that.
Weird article. Nothing cool about an injury. Smdh…
I might be tripping but didn’t see anything saying the injury was cool or good lol
It said it was a “hip” injury going forward they should be more specific…not all of us are Claire voyance