Ja Morant Exits Grizzlies Game After Hip Injury from Hard Fall

MEMPHIS — Grizzlies star Ja Morant left Thursday’s Game 3 with a hip injury, sustained after a hefty tumble, leading to a 114-108 defeat against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The incident occurred with just 3:15 left in the second quarter.

During the fourth quarter, Morant was seen on crutches in the tunnel alongside the Memphis bench. Grizzlies interim coach Tuomas Iisalo mentioned that Morant’s ability to play in Saturday’s potential elimination game remains uncertain.

“He will undergo further evaluations tomorrow,” Iisalo stated. He couldn’t specify which hip was affected or the details of the injury. “We’ll have more information after the assessments.”

The injury happened when Oklahoma City’s Luguentz Dort fouled Morant during a high-flying fast break attempt. Following the tumble, Morant was assisted to his feet and limped to the free-throw line, where he missed both shots. He immediately exited the game and made his way to the locker room, taking off his jersey as he entered the tunnel.

Had Morant not attempted the free throws, he would have been officially ruled out for the remainder of the game.

At the time of Morant’s exit, the Grizzlies were ahead by 27 points, eventually increasing the lead to 29, which was the largest margin of the night.

Before leaving the game, Morant had scored 15 points and provided 5 assists over 16 minutes.

Throughout the regular season, Morant was limited to 50 games, missing several due to various injuries. His most significant injury this season involved a posterior hip subluxation and related pelvic muscle strains, following a hard fall during a November 6 home victory against the Los Angeles Lakers. This injury led to him missing eight subsequent games.