Just as they were getting hot, the Memphis Grizzlies suffered what could be a massive setback.
With 4:25 left to play in the third quarter of Tuesday night’s Play-In Tournament game against the Golden State Warriors, star point guard Ja Morant landed awkwardly on the foot of Warriors guard Buddy Hield, forcing Morant’s right foot to tweak.
While he later returned in the 121-116 loss, his status for Friday’s win-or-go-home game is unclear.
Morant lay on the court for several minutes as medical staff tended to the injured ankle. Morant, who made the shot attempt he took when he sustained the injury, appeared to be in clear discomfort. He would hobble to the bench where trainers continued to look at the injured ankle.
Morant would eventually limp to the line and sink the free throw that resulted from the foul called on Warriors center Quinten Post.
If an injured player is not able to shoot a free throw, he must be removed from the game.
Trainers would continue to look at Morant’s ankle for several minutes. He had scored a team-high 18 points on 7-of-14 shooting before sustaining the injury. He finished with 22.
The Grizzlies had been steadily erasing a 20-point Warriors lead before Morant got hurt. Memphis continued to respond in his absence; the Warriors held a 94-91 lead at the end of the quarter.
With 9:26 left in the game and the score tied at 96, Morant returned, notably favoring the ankle. He wasted no time continuing to impact the game, sinking his first attempt, a mid-range shot from the left elbow.
Morant has made headlines recently for his on-court celebrations. The NBA fined him after he held his hand up in a finger-gun gesture, and during the next game he pretended to throw a grenade after scoring.
The NBA fined Morant $75,000 for his finger-gun gesture, which the league called ‘inappropriate,’ in an April 3 game against the Miami Heat after the two-time All-Star had been warned for using the same gesture in a contest against the Warriors.
(This story was updated to include new details).