The Grizzlies are 15-2 without Ja Morant this season after beating the Brooklyn Nets last night. Memphis is unquestionably better with him, but it will survive the next couple of weeks and hold on to the No. 2 seed without him.
Morant is out and will be re-evaluated in two weeks due to a “tweaked” knee, coach Tyler Jenkins confirmed to the media Thursday. He also said they expect Morant to be back and ready for the playoffs, via Drew Hill of the Daily Memphian.
With Ja Morant: The team is still offloading him. The plan is to reevaluate him in two weeks.
— Drew Hill (@DrewHill_DM) March 24, 2022
He is rehabbing and is expected to be back by the the playoffs.
Taylor Jenkins said he does not have concerns about Ja Morant being rusty for the playoffs. He said their ramp up process typically helps to eliminate that.
— Drew Hill (@DrewHill_DM) March 24, 2022
Morant is not worried.
— Ja Morant (@JaMorant) March 24, 2022
After the season ends, the Grizzlies will have nearly a week to rest up before the playoffs start (during the play-in Tournament). That should give Morant plenty of time to be right for the postseason, even if he is not back before the regular season ends.
Morant has had a breakout season, averaging 27.6 points and 6.7 assists a game while shooting 34% from 3. He will be an All-NBA guard in this, his third season, and is the frontrunner for Most Improved Player.
He has helped lead the Grizzlies to a 50-23 record and they are solidly the No. 2 seed in the West. With just nine games left and Memphis winning without Morant, it’s improbable they fall back two games to get passed by the Warriors (who have had their own struggles of late). As things stand now, they would open the playoffs at home against the winner of the Clippers vs. Timberwolves play-in game.