NBA1 hour ago2 minute read

Ja Morant Suffers Hamstring Injury in Portland Loss to Grizzlies

Ja Morant suffered a left hamstring injury during the Portland Trail Blazers' 124-103 loss to his former team in Memphis.

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Morant Exits in Fourth Quarter

Ja Morant had a difficult reunion on Thursday night. Facing off against his former squad for the first time, the Portland Trail Blazers guard could not finish the contest. He had to leave the court during the fourth quarter after suffering an injury to his left hamstring.

Morant was officially ruled out of the game after the setback. Before he walked off, the guard managed to record 14 points and three assists in 23 minutes of play. Without him on the floor, the Trail Blazers could not hold on against his old team, eventually suffering a 124-103 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.

Coach Reaction to the Hamstring Issue

The Trail Blazers now face an anxious wait for medical updates. Portland coach Micah Nori spoke postgame about the setback and explained that Morant felt a twinge in his hamstring during the contest.

Nori stated that he hoped to have more answers about the injury on Friday once the medical staff evaluated the situation further. "I'm hoping that it's nothing major, obviously," Nori said.

A Setback After an Unbeaten Start

Thursday night brought the first defeat of the season for Portland. Prior to the game against Memphis, the Trail Blazers had opened the year in strong fashion, winning their first three games.

Morant has settled in quickly during his first season with Portland. He spent the first seven years of his career playing for Memphis before making the move. Over the first three games, he averaged 16.3 points and 6.3 assists in 26.7 minutes of action to help guide Portland to that 3-0 start. Now, the team will wait for Friday to see if their starting guard will have to sit out.

What it means for the next game

Portland Trail Blazers at Utah Jazz (NBA, Sat, 31 Oct): Utah Jazz win 40%, Portland Trail Blazers win 60%; projected score Utah Jazz 119, Portland Trail Blazers 122. Our safest pick: Trail Blazers +5.5.

Sacramento Kings at Memphis Grizzlies (NBA, Sun, 01 Nov): Memphis Grizzlies win 76%, Sacramento Kings win 24%; projected score Memphis Grizzlies 122, Sacramento Kings 113. Our safest pick: Grizzlies to win.