Memphis Grizzlies Injury Report (Dec 31): Latest update on Derrick Rose and Luke Kennard's availability

The Memphis Grizzlies will face the Sacramento Kings on Sunday, December 31. Luke Kennard and Derrick Rose are both listed as questionable on the injury report. Memphis will also be without Steven Adam and Brandon Clarke as they continue to recover from injury.

However, Ja Morant is expected to be back in the Grizzlies rotation after missing their most recent game against the Denver Nuggets. With Morant back in the rotation, Memphis will have four of their primary starting five in place. Marcus Smart's return from injury has helped inject some much-needed grit into the Grizzlies roster.

Pairing Smart and Jaren Jackson Jr. will ensure the Grizzlies are robust and versatile on the defensive end. Desmond Bane and Morant will give the Grizzlies some elite shot-making ability on offense. However, Taylor Jenkins' hands are tied when it comes to getting high-level production out of the center position. Adams and Clarke's injury issues have hit the team hard.

Nevertheless, the Grizzlies will go as far as Morant can take them. The All-Star guard has already hit the ground running after returning from a 25-game suspension. Morant is averaging 26.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 8.8 assists, shooting 48.1% and 12% from 3-point range. The explosive guard gives Memphis another dimension when attacking the rim in transition and in the half-court.

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The Memphis Grizzlies could defeat the Sacramento Kings

Over the past 18 months, the Sacramento Kings have emerged as a genuine threat in the Western Conference. The two-man game between Domantas Sabonis and De'Aaron Fox has become a legitimate offensive weapon, while the rapid improvements of Keegan Murray ensure the Kings have high-level floor spacing.

However, Marcus Smart and Jaren Jackson Jr. should be able to shut down Sacramento's two-man game. Both players are former Defensive Player of the Year, and both can switch multiple positions.

As such, the Kings could find it difficult to generate offense via their usual elbow hand-off actions. That could lead Mike Brown to operate with more half-court sets, which would negate the Kings' biggest weapon: their speed.

If the Grizzlies can negate Sacramento's pace of play and execute their own game plan on offense while putting Morant in positions to impact the game, they have enough talent to secure a victory. However, the Kings won't simply roll over.

Instead, Memphis will need to claw their way to a victory if they want to get back into the win column at the first time of asking.