The Los Angeles Lakers put a big hurt on the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday by stealing Game 1 of their first-round playoff series 128-112.
To add insult to injury, Ja Morant, the Grizzlies’ franchise player, appeared to injure his hand in the fourth quarter, and he said that his availability for Game 2 is “in jeopardy.”
Ja Morant says his status for Game 2 is “in jeopardy.” He was downtrodden and not even able to use his right hand to undo a balled-up pair of socks. “Feels like it’s one thing after another.”
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) April 16, 2023
BREAKING: Ja Morant is in jeopardy of missing Game 2 against the Lakers. He said his pain level in his right hand is at a 10 right now.
— Lakers Daily (@LakersDailyCom) April 16, 2023
The injury appeared to occur when Morant committed a charging foul. He crashed to the ground and appeared to land on his right hand, and he was in considerable pain right away, as he went straight to the locker room and didn’t return.
Pray for Ja 🙏 pic.twitter.com/jDfNJDZC9q
— Lakers Daily (@LakersDailyCom) April 16, 2023
Los Angeles led by four points at the time, but it surged ahead afterward, as it got some big buckets from Austin Reaves, who scored 23 points in total, as well as a flurry of fast-break buckets to finish Memphis. Rui Hachimura was white-hot off the bench, scoring 29 points and hitting five 3-pointers.
LeBron James and Anthony Davis played some impressive defense, as the Lakers held the Grizzlies down defensively after they scored 65 points in the first half.
Morant had just 18 points, and he committed six turnovers. The defense of L.A. forward Jarred Vanderbilt, which has been impressive ever since he arrived in February’s Russell Westbrook trade, likely had something to do with Morant’s struggles.
If Morant is unable to play in Game 2, it seems likely the Lakers will win that contest as well and go up 2-0 heading back to Southern California, which could be tantamount to a death knell for Memphis.
The saving grace may be the fact that there will be two full days before both Game 2 and Game 3. However, if Morant has any type of structural damage in his right hand, it will not matter.
It has been a frustrating last several weeks for him, as he was seen in an Instagram video toting a gun at a Colorado nightclub recently, which led to him being suspended and attracting lots of criticism for his off-the-court habits. It looks like perhaps the season may come to a very disappointing end for him after what transpired on Sunday.
