"Jordan 'The Hulk' Poole gave him a bone bruise! Too f**king strong!", "Warriors fans told me he was faking his limp!" - Fans show no mercy to Ja Morant as a bone bruise injury is expected to keep him sidelined for rest of the playoffs

The Memphis Grizzlies have announced that a bone bruise will make guard Ja Morant doubtful for the rest of the playoffs.

Morant suffered the injury late in Memphis' 142-112 loss in Game 3 on Saturday and did not play in a 101-98 loss in Game 4 on Monday. Game 5 is Wednesday night in Memphis, with the Grizzlies trailing 3-1 to the Golden State Warriors. They could see their season come to a stunning end.

Memphis is 20-5 this season without “G12,” but as Game 4 showed, they badly need his presence, particularly in crucial moments in the playoffs. Except for Grizzlies fans, social media is busy trolling the unexpected news, especially since Morant posted and then deleted the “broke the code” shot at Jordan Poole. Poole was involved in the play in which Morant got injured.

Before his injury, Morant led the playoffs in scoring, assists, steals and clutch field goals made. He also had a career-defining postseason performance in Game 2 when he dropped 47 on the Warriors, including 15 straight crucial points in the fourth quarter, in a 106-101 win.

As entertaining and as physical as the series has been between the Grizzlies and Warriors, it quickly turned somewhat sour. Both camps were accusing the other of dirty play, which culminated, in the meantime, with Morant and the Grizzlies’ pushing to have Poole suspended.

The Memphis Grizzlies will live and die by their defense without Ja Morant

No other team in the 2022 postseason has such a huge off-and-on defensive rating difference as the Memphis Grizzlies with or without Ja Morant’s presence. Memphis’ leaky defense with the All-Star point guard in the lineup is shocking.

When Morant plays, the Grizzlies have to scramble, trying to make up for their franchise player’s defensive inefficiency. Memphis has a defensive rating of 110.9 when their superstar plays. That rating drops to 98.2, which would be the best in the playoffs, when the third-year player is sidelined.

Game 4 was a perfect example of how the Grizzlies can muck up the opposition without Morant. Klay Thompson was 0-for-7 from long range while Steph Curry was only 4-for-14.

Jordan Poole didn’t do too well, either, missing all three of his 3-point tries. They did miss a couple of open looks, but Memphis’ defense gets a ton of credit for their miserable shooting.

Without arguably the most explosive player in the postseason, the Grizzlies will attempt to crawl out of a 1-3 hole behind their stifling defense.

About the author

Michael Macasero brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his coverage of basketball at Sportskeeda with over 18 years of diverse work experience. This includes stints at Convergys, Interpace and RunRepeat.

Michael's background in English and Journalism has provided him with the analytical skills and precision necessary for creating content, and he is a lifelong fan of the Boston Celtics. His favorite players include legends like Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, modern stars like Tim Duncan, and Nikola Jokic, as well as emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Michael respects Gregg Popovich, despite his contentious demeanor in interviews, and recognizes Popovich's genius in adapting his coaching style to maximize the talent on his roster over the years. Michael eagerly anticipates seeing how Popovich will structure the offense around emerging talent like Victor Wembanyama.

Understanding the story and details is crucial to Michael's reporting philosophy and he believes overlooking details, particularly when pressed for time, can lead to misunderstandings and inaccurate conclusions.

Aside from work, Michael's children are his hobbies, and he also likes to go running, swimming and weightlifting.

Know More