Ja Morant’s first game against the Memphis Grizzlies as a member of the Portland Trail Blazers ended early, and the injury update that followed only made the moment tougher for Portland.
Morant was traded to the Trail Blazers in the offseason, a deal that sent Jerami Grant and Kris Murray to Memphis. ESPN described the move this way: “The Grizzlies on Monday traded Ja Morant to the Trail Blazers in a move that sees Memphis start anew and gives the two-time All-Star a chance to revive his career in Portland. The Trail Blazers sent Jerami Grant and Kris Murray to the Grizzlies to complete the deal," ESPN wrote.
Thursday night in Portland, Morant got his first crack at his old team, but he didn’t make it through the night. He left in the fourth quarter with a left hamstring injury, finishing with 14 points and three assists in 23 minutes before being ruled out of the Trail Blazers’ 124-103 loss to Memphis.
“Portland Trail Blazers guard Ja Morant exited his first game against his former team in the fourth quarter Thursday night because of a left hamstring injury. Morant had 14 points and three assists in 23 minutes before exiting and being ruled out of the Trail Blazers' 124-103 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. Coach Micah Nori said postgame that Morant felt a twinge in his hamstring and that Nori hoped to have more answers Friday,” ESPN wrote.
The picture got worse on Friday afternoon, when ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the injury is a Grade 2 left hamstring strain and that Morant will miss at least four weeks.
“Portland Trail Blazers' Ja Morant has sustained a Grade 2 left hamstring strain and will miss at least four weeks, sources tell ESPN,” Charania posted.
It’s a real setback for Portland, especially with Morant off to a strong start this season. Still, the Blazers have backcourt options, and two-time NBA champion Jrue Holiday is expected to move into the starting lineup while Morant recovers.
The timing stings, too, with injuries already piling up around the NBA this season. For now, Morant’s next task is simple: get healthy and work his way back to a Trail Blazers team that has opened the year in strong form.
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Memphis night took a sharp turn when Ja Morant exited early with a left hamstring injury and never came back, leaving the Grizzlies to finish off a 124-103 win over Portland while rookie Cam Boozer piled up his first career triple-double. For the Trail Blazers, it was the kind of game that can change the feel of a road trip in a hurry, especially when the opposing stars status shifts from active to uncertain before the final horn.
Portland now moves on to Utah with another layer of uncertainty hanging over the schedule. The Jazz are next, but the bigger question for the Blazers is whether theyll see Morant at all after he left with the hamstring issue, a development that could affect both the matchup and the rest of Memphis immediate outlook. [Read more 🡒]