Memphis Grizzlies superstar Ja Morant has been ruled as doubtful for the rest of the playoffs with a bone bruise in his right knee.
The Grizzlies announced the news on Tuesday afternoon, a day before they host the Warriors for Game 5 of their Western Conference semifinals series.
Morant was injured in Game 3, but it's unclear when. Jordan Poole tugged on his knee while going for a loose ball, but that wouldn't result in a bone bruise, and he also appeared to bang his knee on Klay Thompson contesting a three. Morant sat out Monday’s Game 4, when the Warriors eked out a 101-98 win over and only took their first lead with less than a minute left.
Morant was sensational in the Game 2 victory for the Grizzlies, when he dropped 47 points, including the final 15 for Memphis. Granted, Warriors stopper Gary Payton II wasn’t available for most of that game after fracturing his elbow due to a Flagrant 2 foul by Dillon Brooks in the first quarter.
The Grizzlies simply didn’t have an answer for the Warriors down the stretch in Game 4, as Golden State mounted a 12-point comeback in the final period. The team settled for a 29-foot Jaren Jackson Jr. 3-point attempt with 12 seconds left to try and tie the game but it was blocked by Draymond Green.
One of the league’s most electrifying players, Morant was named NBA’s Most Improved Players this year after averaging 27.4 points and 6.7 assists per game.
WIthout Morant and facing a 3-1 series deficit, the Grizzlies have an almost impossible challenge to reach Western Conference finals.
