At 14-25 this season, the Grizzlies are currently 13th in the Western Conference. All-star PG Ja Morant started the season with a 25-game suspension. That did not help Memphis start the season strong. They went 6-19 without Morant. On top of that, the Grizzlies have been hit hard with injuries over the last week and a half.
Morant had to have season-ending shoulder surgery last week. Marcus Smart injured his right finger last week and he is out for about six weeks. To make matters worse, starting SG Desmond Bane injured his ankle last Friday vs. the Clippers. It was announced that the 25-year-old will also miss at least six weeks for the Grizzlies. Just horrendous injury luck for Memphis.
Desmond Bane, Marcus Smart, and Ja Morant are all out for the Grizzlies
The Grizzlies say Desmond Bane (Grade 3 left ankle sprain) will be out at least six weeks. https://t.co/96RDatmsOX
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) January 15, 2024
The 2023-24 season has already been a struggle for the Grizzlies. After losing Desmond Bane for six weeks to an ankle injury, the team is about to hit a true season-low. Bane’s (24.4) points and (5.3) assists per game lead the team this season. Memphis will now be without his production for the next six weeks. His points and assists per game are a new career-high. He had been thriving early in the season while the team was waiting on the return of Ja Morant.
He carried the scoring load for Morant in the first 25 games of the season he missed. After the all-star PG had to have season-ending shoulder surgery, the Grizzlies would need Bane to step up again. However, he’s now dealing with an injury of his own and is out for at least the next six weeks. A brutal blow for Memphis who is already playing a lot of backups. The Grizzlies are about to hit a rough stretch for the next month and a half while they wait for players to return from injury.
BREAKING : Desmond Bane will miss at least 6 weeks with a Grade 3 Left Ankle Sprain.
The Injury Bug will not stop biting the Grizzlies… pic.twitter.com/yAYKfd0ML0
— Grizz Lead (@Grizz_Lead) January 15, 2024
Adding to the lengthy injury report in Memphis, the team also announced Jake LaRavia sprained his left ankle vs. the Knicks. He is now out and will be re-evaluated in about three weeks. The Grizzlies now have eight healthy players on their roster. After their game on Monday, Real GM reported that the Grizzlies could petition the league for an NBA hardship exception. This would open up another roster spot for the team as they deal with multiple long-term injuries. Not an ideal situation for the Grizzlies.
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