The Memphis Grizzlies vs Golden State Warriors series has been extremely physical. 3 game in and there has already been 2 flagrant two fouls called and one more up for debate. The 3rd one took place in game 3 when Poole accidentally grabbed the knee of Ja Morant and left him injured. Ja’s injury status is not definitive but signs point to him missing game 4.
Memphis is the 2nd seed in the West and the NBA. A group of inexperienced players led by a young star is trying to win the 1st NBA title for their franchise. But they find themselves playing against a team that was just a dynasty a few years back. They have played well but in game 4 they could be put into a situation they can’t get out of.
Ja Morant is likely to miss Game 4
The star of the Memphis Grizzlies also took a huge leap this season. Ja’s averages for this season jumped up from 19 to 27. And considering that his team was winning, these were not empty stats. This is why he was awarded the Most Improved Player award for this season. He is the biggest threat to the Golden State Warriors in their quest for the title.
Also, in this series against GSW, Ja Morant is averaging close to 39 points per game. However, in-game 3, the Grizzlies not only lost the game but also lost Ja Morant.
In the 4th quarter with 6 minutes remaining, Memphis was down big. The Warriors wanted to keep it that way and tried to pressure him and double-team him. In an attempt to steal the ball, Jordan Poole pulled on the knee of Ja Morant. The MIP was injured and hobbled after the play.
Even though he stayed in the game, he was injured. His status for game 4 became a big question mark.
Grizzlies‘ Ja Morant (right knee) is likely to miss Game 4 vs. Warriors, coach Taylor Jenkins says.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 8, 2022
He has been listed as questionable and might miss the game entirely. However, that should not be a big problem for Memphis. Even though Ja is the best player on the team, they have been pretty successful without him. They have a 20-5 record this season without Ja Morant in the lineup.
Can this Memphis team steal a game from GSW and avenge Ja’s injury? Or will Ja have to return and carry the team in Game 5?