Ja Morant was out of action on Wednesday as the Memphis Grizzlies saw their hopes of securing the No. 1 seed in the West disappear right in front of their eyes. This was after a shorthanded Grizzlies side suffered a 138-131 loss against the New Orleans Pelicans, thereby allowing Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets to officially secure the top spot in the conference.
The Grizzlies will want to bounce back in their next game, but with a matchup against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the mighty Milwaukee Bucks looming, it goes without saying that this won’t be an easy task. The good news for Memphis is that Morant should be back in the lineup for Friday’s showdown.
Ja Morant injury status vs. Bucks
Morant was ruled out of Wednesday’s loss to the Pelicans due to a sore left hip. The injury did not sound serious at all, and it seemed like a simple night off for Ja given that this was the second game of a back-to-back set for the Grizzlies.
True enough, Morant is now nowhere to be found on Memphis’ injury report for Friday’s clash against the Bucks. Likewise, Luke Kennard and Xavier Tillman, who both sat out against the Pels as well, are expected to be available against Milwaukee, too. Santi Aldama remains doubtful, though, while Steven Adams, Brandon Clarke, and Ziaire Williams won’t be available.
With the Grizzlies and the Bucks both considered serious contenders to come out of their respective conferences, Friday’s marquee matchup could end up being a preview of this year’s NBA Finals series.
