Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant The status was up in the air for Thursday's game against the Golden State Warriors. The point guard was questionable earlier for this game but was updated to be available before the game.
According to Grizzlies Injury report, he has lower back pain. Morant has been suffering from this disease since December 8, after initially injuring his hip on November 7. He played in Sunday's 116-110 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
•
If Morant is out, Scottie Pippen Jr. will take his place in the starting lineup. But his absence will be a huge blow to the Grizzlies. Morant has been in tremendous form lately, averaging 23.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 7.3 assists in December, and posting multiple 30-point games.
Ja Morant stats vs. Golden State Warriors
Ja Morant played 11 games against Golden State Warriorsaveraging 22.4 ppg, 4.1 rpg and 7.4 apg, shooting on a 43/25/75 split. He has won just five times, posting a losing record against the Grizzlies' conference rivals.
If Morant is promoted to the available release, it will be his first game against the Warriors in nearly two years. He last played for them on January 25, 2023, tallying 29 points, four rebounds and 12 assists on 50.0% shooting in a 122-120 loss.
The Grizzlies enter this game at 10-2 but are coming off a 116-110 loss to the Lakers. They will be hoping to bounce back against the struggling Warriors, who have lost eight of their last 10 games.
However, this is highly dependent on Ja Morant dressing and will require a massive effort from others in his absence when the Warriors enter this contest relatively healthy.
Where to watch the Golden State Warriors vs. Memphis Grizzlies game?
The Golden State Warriors and Memphis Grizzlies will take the lead in the NBA on Thursday. Meanwhile, NBC Sports Bay Area and FanDuel Sports Network – Southeast will provide coverage of the game in local areas from 8:00 PM ET onward. The Grizzlies enter this contest as a -2.5 point favorite with a -135 money line.
Edited by Arhan Raji
