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Ja Morant injury update: Is he playing in game 3 against the Los Angeles Lakers?
With just less than 6 minutes before game 1 ended, the battle between Memphis Grizzlies and Los Angeles Lakers was still very close. In an attempt to close the gap, Ja Morant tried to score against the towering Anthony Davis. Morant collided with Davis in mid-air but had an awkward fall. The Grizzlies point guard was called for an offensive foul but just moments later, Morant was seen experiencing a lot of pain. It seemed like he landed with his hand first, resulting in a possible injury. The two-time NBA All-Star hurriedly went to the locker room but came back to the bench moments later with his hand heavily wrapped.
The Los Angeles Lakers went on to win game 1, 128-112, thanks to the heroics of Rui Hachimura, Anthony Davis, Austin Reaves, and LeBron James. Game 2 came and Ja Morant was ruled out of the game due to right-hand soreness.
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Earlier this week, Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins informed that Ja Morant underwent an MRI and X-ray exam. The MRI found that Morant suffered a soft tissue bruise in his shooting hand while X-rays shows a negative result. Although that’s the case, Jenkins said that “he’s (Morant) in pain”. According to various reports, Morant’s Game 1 injury was actually a reaggravated injury he suffered in the final week of the regular season.
.@memgrizz status update:
Ja Morant (RT Hand Soreness) is inactive tonight vs @Lakers. https://t.co/InutSp47tG
— Grizzlies PR (@GrizzliesPR) April 19, 2023
Now, the biggest question is – if Ja Morant will be available come game 3
As of April 20, Ja Morant is already listed as “day-to-day”, which could be a hint there is a great chance he will be playing in game 3 in Los Angeles, California, to take the lead in the series against the Lakers.
The Grizzlies and Jenkins revealed that, although Morant looked like he was suitable to play last Wednesday, they ruled out Morant for game 2 as a “precautionary measure”. The 23-year-old star is still in pain but he looks like he’s ready to go out on the court in no time. With a negative X-ray result (no broken bones), we could be seeing Ja Morant hit the stage against LeBron James.
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Even without Ja Morant, the Grizzlies still managed to snatch a win at home to tie the series (1-1)
No Ja Morant? No Problem! The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Los Angeles Lakers to even up the series. Xavier Tillman dominated with 22 points and 13 rebounds as the Grizzlies stay alive. The 2023 Defensive Player of the Year, Jaren Jackson Jr. also had an incredible night with 18 points and 9 rebounds. On the other hand, LeBron James and Rui Hachimura anchored the offense of the Lakers as they score 28 and 20, respectively.
With their win, an ongoing online debate is buzzing the internet – Is Memphis better without Ja Morant?
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Will Giannis Antetokounmpo be able to recover before game 3? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below. For more content, stay with us, here at Spiel Times.
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