Ja Morant’s first meeting with the Grizzlies as a Trail Blazer didn’t end the way anyone wanted. The return to Memphis was cut short Thursday night when Morant left with a left hamstring injury and did not come back.
Before the injury, Morant had put up 14 points, two rebounds and three assists in 23 minutes. Portland, meanwhile, got buried by Memphis in a 124-103 loss.
The Grizzlies took control in a hurry in the second half, turning a close game into a lopsided one with a 66-45 edge after the break. Memphis improved to 5-0 on the season behind a balanced attack that featured eight players in double figures.
Rookie Cam Boozer was the headliner for the Grizzlies, notching his first career triple double with 18 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists. Ty Jerome was part of that depth as well, even with a season-low 10 points.
Portland did get a strong night from Deni Avdija, who finished with 24 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Damian Lillard struggled to find his rhythm, scoring nine points while going 3-of-13 from the floor. The Blazers dropped to 3-1.
Morant’s night carried extra attention because of where he came from. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft spent seven seasons in Memphis, appearing in 327 games and averaging 22.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 7.4 assists. His time there also came with suspensions and injury issues that affected both his availability and production.
Portland acquired Morant in the offseason in a deal that sent Jerami Grant and Kris Murray to Memphis. He had opened his Blazers tenure in strong form, averaging 16.3 points, 2.7 rebounds and 6.3 assists in 26.7 minutes through his first three games while shooting 58.8 percent from the field.
The Blazers head to Utah next, with a Saturday matchup against the Jazz opening a four-game road trip. Morant’s status for that stretch is still up in the air after the hamstring injury.
In Other News...
Ja Morant's Return To Memphis Took A Brutal Turn Fast
Ja Morants first game against the Grizzlies since being traded had the kind of emotional pull that naturally comes with a reunion, but it took an abrupt turn early in the fourth quarter when he went down with a left hamstring injury. He was unable to return, closing out the night with 14 points, 2 rebounds and 3 assists in a game that had already carried extra weight simply because of who was on the other sideline.
For Memphis fans, the concern shifts immediately from the storyline of the matchup to the condition of one of the franchises most recognizable former stars. Trail Blazers coach Micah Nori said Morant felt a twinge, and more clarity is expected tomorrow afternoon, leaving this one with a pause where the aftermath should be. [Read more 🡒]
Grizzlies Frontcourt Depth Is Already Facing A Familiar Concern
The Grizzlies frontcourt depth took another hit in the win over Portland when Quinten Post went down with a right ankle injury and was ruled doubtful to return. He did not play again, leaving Memphis to navigate the rest of the game without one of the big bodies it has been trying to lean on as the season settles in.
Isaiah Stewarts recent path only sharpens the concern. He already missed the season opener with an ankle issue, then came back after two weeks and has been productive since his return, but his own history and Posts latest setback put the same old question back on the table for Memphis: how stable can the big-man rotation really be if the ankle trouble keeps popping up? [Read more 🡒]
Cameron Boozer Just Put Memphis In Some Rare NBA History
Cameron Boozers night in Memphis was the kind that tends to travel fast around the league. In the Grizzlies win over Portland, the young forward filled up every part of the stat sheet, handing out passes, cleaning the glass and knocking down enough shots to turn a strong performance into something historic.
For Memphis, the eye-catching part is not just the all-around production but the age at which it arrived. Boozer became the youngest forward ever to post a triple-double, a marker that had previously belonged to LeBron James, and he did it in just his first one. There will be plenty of time to sort out what it means long term, but for one night the Grizzlies had a player making a very rare kind of NBA history. [Read more 🡒]