MEMPHIS – Star point guard Ja Morant participated in Thursday’s practice and could be on the runway to return from a calf injury during the team’s three-game homestand.
Grizzlies coach Tuomas Iisalo addressed Morant’s status as “day to day” Thursday and added that the team’s leader in scoring and assists “is progressing well” towards a return. Morant has missed the past eight games since he sustained a right calf strain in a Nov. 15 loss at Cleveland.
The Grizzlies ruled Morant out for Friday’s game against the Clippers, but it remains to be seen if he will be available for Sunday’s match-up with the Blazers or the Dec. 12 game against the Jazz.
Morant was seen in full practice gear and wearing a compression sleeve on his right calf while working on his shooting in the final stages of Thursday’s practice that were open to the media.
If he is cleared to return this weekend, Morant will rejoin a team playing much better than the one that struggled through the first dozen games of the season at the time he was injured. The Grizzlies (9-13) went 5-3 in the past eight games Morant has missed.
Memphis was in the midst of losing nine of 10 games when Morant left the Nov. 15 game against the Cavaliers after playing just six minutes in the first quarter. Those were also the only minutes Morant had been on the court this season with second-year center Zach Edey, who made his season debut that night in Cleveland after returning from summer ankle surgery.
The 7-foot-4 Edey has since anchored Memphis on both ends of the court and was nominated for the NBA’s Western Conference Player of the Week honor amid a dominant stretch. The hope is that the Grizzlies soon rekindle the spark they experienced nearly three weeks ago, when Morant and Edey flirted with a few dynamic moments together.
In that game, Morant and Edey connected on a pick-and-roll play that led to the center flushing his first dunk of the season off a lob pass from the explosive point guard. Morant also made both of his shots from the field and converted 3-of-4 free throws for seven points before exiting. The Grizzlies led 32-28 after that first quarter but struggled late on the way to a 108-100 loss.
“That six minutes is a good blueprint,” Iisalo said of the small sample size that revealed the offensive potential with Morant and Edey. “He had some good passes in that time, having Zach there as another mechanism to puncture the defense. Getting Zach to roll inside, how that opens up passes, lobs and (Morant’s) own finishing – we saw that in those six minutes.”
Iisalo said there were also encouraging signs of Morant’s defensive activity during the limited time he shared the court with Edey protecting the paint.
“I know he’s very excited about the prospect of getting to play soon with Zach again,” Iisalo said.
Teammates and coaches have repeatedly mentioned how crucial Morant’s engagement and leadership have been on the bench and in timeout huddles. Those contributions aided in the Grizzlies’ 3-1 record on a trip that showed signs the team could soon be turning a corner.
Injuries at point guard have decimated the team’s depth. Morant has missed 10 games while guards Ty Jerome (calf strain) and Scotty Pippen Jr. (toe surgery) have yet to play this season. As a result, the Grizzlies have been relying on converted wing players Vince Williams Jr. and Cam Spencer to handle primary roles as facilitators the past few weeks.
Both have delivered promising moments, with Williams Jr. posting games with 15 and 17 assists in filling the void. Spencer averaged 15 points and five assists during a five-game stretch and ranks sixth in the NBA in three-point shooting percentage (47.1%).
Williams said Morant’s voice has been essential in guiding him through challenging adjustments.
“He’s told me to get the ball and go, and how sometimes I need to slow down, get us into plays, make the easiest reads and try to find Zach more,” said Williams, who has started at point guard the past eight games and is averaging 8.3 points, 5.7 assists and 4.8 rebounds this season. “He’s telling me to keep the game simple, but to also play at a high level and shoot my floater.”
Getting Morant back in the lineup will not only help calibrate the offense but also provide the Grizzlies with a superstar closer who has a track record for coming up big late in clutch games.
The Grizzlies are 8-3 this season against teams with losing records but have lost 10 of 11 against teams at or above the .500 mark. Morant’s return should help in those moments when the Grizzlies have struggle to execute down the stretch. Morant must also get his offense on track overall after starting the season amid a career-worst shooting slump through his first 12 games.
With just three games scheduled over the next 10 days, the Grizzlies and Morant should benefit from a rare stretch in the season that allows vital days for practices as well as rest and recovery.
Looking back at those teasing moments in Cleveland makes it easy to also look forward to what could be when a healthy and motivated Morant returns to action in the coming days.
“In those six minutes in Cleveland, I thought we were looking really good,” said Edey, who is averaging 19.3 points, 17 rebounds and 3.3 blocks his past three games. “Just playing with him, he opens up so much offensively and he’s got great vision. I just wish we could have kept pushing and going with it, but (injuries) happen. Soon, we’re going to get back to that.”