Grizzlies: Ja Morant likely to miss rest of playoffs with knee injury

Grizzlies guard Ja Morant averaged 38 points (on 62% true shooting), eight assists, seven rebounds and three steals per game against the Warriors.

Unfortunately, that spectacular series has been cut short.

After Morant missed Memphis’ Game 4 loss last night, the Grizzlies have acknowledged Morant will likely miss the rest of the playoffs with a knee injury.

Grizzlies:

Today the @memgrizz announced the following medical update: pic.twitter.com/szmKeTFdHa

— Grizzlies PR (@GrizzliesPR) May 10, 2022

Without Morant, the rest of Memphis’ postseason will likely be only another game or two. Down 3-1 in their second-round series, the Grizzlies host the Warriors in Game 5 tomorrow. Game 6 would be Friday in San Francisco.

This will reignite discussion of whether Golden State guard Jordan Poole made a dirty play in grabbing Morant’s knee. The NBA didn’t punish Poole. Most reasonable observers aren’t holding the contact against Poole.

But it is a bummer the NBA’s most exciting player is hurt.

Memphis went 20-5 without Morant in the regular season. This team is deep and mentally tough. But winning three straight against the Warriors is almost certainly asking too much.

The young Grizzlies — especially Morant — showed awesome potential in the playoffs. Assuming this is the end of their line, pressure is on management to position Memphis for even greater success in the coming years.