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Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies might have avoided a serious injury against the Atlanta Hawks. As per Shams Charania of The Athletic, Morant suffered a left knee sprain in the first quarter of Friday's game at home.
Fans inside the FedEx Forum held their collective breath when Morant appeared to have injured his left knee with about three minutes left in the first quarter. The 22-year-old Grizzlies star quickly went to the bench in pain and couldn't seem to put any pressure on his knee.
It was a non-contact injury so there was a possibility that it could have been a torn ACL or MCL. Ja Morant had to be carried back to the locker and was ruled out for the rest of the game. He returned to the bench in the second half wearing a black hoodie and was not on crunches, but limping.
The good news for Morant and the Grizzlies is that the primary imaging of his knee indicated a sprain. The young star is expected to undergo more testing on his left knee to determine the severity of his injury and a possible timetable for his return. Depending on what type of sprain, Morant could be out for two to four weeks or even months if surgery is needed.
Ja Morant was having the best season of his young career
Ja Morant was on his way to his first All-Star selection before suffering an injury against the Atlanta Hawks on Friday. Morant was averaging 24.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 6.8 assists and 1.6 steals per game this season. He was also shooting 47.6% from the field, 35.6% from beyond the arc and 77.7% from the free throw line, which are all career highs.
The 2020 Rookie of the Year was also one of the favorites to win the NBA's Most Improved Player of the Year Award this season. Morant has taken over the Grizzlies and the league as one of its best young superstars. He's a special athlete that can take over a game. He has also improved each season and seems to be on the cusp of stardom this season.
With the injury he sustained, Ja Morant is expected to be out indefinitely. The Memphis Grizzlies will have to rely on Tyus Jones and De'Anthony Melton to replace Morant's production. Jaren Jackson Jr. needs to step up and become the focal point of the Grizzlies' offense with Morant out.
It also appears Morant is in high spirits after receiving news of his injury. He made a series of tweets thanking God and those who send prayers on his way. Morant also pinned a tweet back in 2019 saying, "God I know you got me."
Ja Morant has been relatively healthy during his young career. Morant has only missed 15 games in his first two seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies. His most severe injury before the left knee sprain was a Grade 2 left ankle sprain from last season.
