Memphis Grizzlies superstar Ja Morant has been diagnosed with a Grade 1 AC joint sprain in his right shoulder and is considered week-to-week, the team announced Monday.
During Memphis’ game against the New Orleans Pelicans on Dec. 27, Morant was defending Herb Jones when he tried to go around a Daniel Theis screen but took a hard shot to the shoulder. He fell to the ground and was immediately wincing in pain while tapping the right side of his upper chest with his left hand.
Morant is averaging 21.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 7.9 assists, and 1.1 steals per game this season.
Ja Morant takes a hard hit on the screen from Theis
Going back to the locker room holding his neck pic.twitter.com/itAqSGcQYr
— eric (@EricTweetsNBA) December 28, 2024
Crisis Averted
Back in January, Morant was ruled out of the remainder of the 2023-24 season with a torn labrum in his right shoulder. All things considered, Grizzlies fans will be breathing a huge sigh of relief that this is only a Grade 1 level sprain and his return will be measured in weeks rather than months.
Scotty Pippen Jr. has filled in admirably in the absence of Morant, averaging 14.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 1.4 steals while shooting 53.5 percent from the field and 40.5 percent from three in 12 games as a starter.
There will still be some understandable frustration, though, as the Grizzlies just can’t seem to shake the injury bug. They’ve lost 155 player games to injury, which leads the league. It makes their No. 2 spot in the West all the more impressive, though the pressure will be on to maintain that in Morant’s absence.
Memphis is 8-5 in 13 games without Morant this season and 22-11 overall.
65-Game Rule Set To Strike Again
With Morant set to miss at least a week, it appears his eligibility for end-of-season awards is in jeopardy. Having missed 13 games already this season, he can only afford to miss four more games before the playoffs but that is virtually impossible now with his diagnosis.
While the 25-year-old certainly wasn’t in the running for MVP, there may have been a chance for him to make an All-NBA Team if he was healthy enough.
Luka Doncic is out of the mix as he deals with a calf strain and Joel Embiid has already missed more than 17 games.
