NBA: Grizzlies’ Ja Morant could miss time with hand injury; X-rays negative
Ja Morant #12 of the Memphis Grizzlies injures his hand during the second half against the Los Angeles Lakers during Game One of the Western Conference First Round Playoffs at FedExForum on April 16, 2023 in Memphis, Tennessee. Justin Ford/Getty Images/AFP
Ja Morant’s status for the rest of the Memphis Grizzlies’ first-round series against the Los Angeles Lakers is up in the air after he injured his right hand late in Sunday’s Game 1 loss in Memphis.
Morant left the game with 5:48 left in regulation, which gave way to a 15-0 game-ending run for the Lakers to pull away 128-112.
Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said X-rays came back negative.
“I’m in a good bit of pain,” Morant told reporters afterward.
Ja Morant headed to the locker room with an apparent injury after this play. pic.twitter.com/MZOrSN9Tmz
— ESPN (@espn) April 16, 2023
As for Morant’s status for Game 2 and beyond, Jenkins only said they were “taking it one day at a time.”
Morant’s hand was already injured during the final week of the regular season, and he was playing with the hand wrapped.
During the fourth quarter Sunday, Morant drove to the rim as Anthony Davis stepped in front of the restricted area to draw an offensive foul. Morant hit his hand on the floor coming down, shouted in pain and headed to the locker room.
Morant told reporters that he was concerned about his hand, but that his wrist was fine.
“(It’s) tough, man, especially with everything I’ve been through pretty much this season,” he said. “My main focus was to be out there for my guys. It’s another incident where that’s pretty much in jeopardy.”
Game 2 is Wednesday night in Memphis before the series heads to Los Angeles.
