Memphis Grizzlies' Jaren Jackson Jr. suffers season-ending knee injury

Memphis Grizzlies star second-year forward Jaren Jackson Jr. suffered a season-ending meniscus tear in his left knee in Monday's 109-99 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans. The heartbreaking injury was the result of an odd landing during contact with a Pelicans player in the third quarter.

Memphis Grizzlies star second-year forward Jaren Jackson Jr. suffered a season-ending meniscus tear in his left knee in Monday's 109-99 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans. The injury was the result of an odd landing during contact with a Pelicans player in the third quarter.

Jackson was having a productive three-games in the NBA Bubble Campus in spite of his team's 0-3 record. Jackson was averaging 25.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks in the Grizzlies three games since the re-start of the season. Jackson Jr. is averaging 17.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game. He also leads the team in three-pointers made, attempted, and percentage.

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This will definitely be a major loss for the Grizzlies, who were already struggling to maintain the eighth and final seed in the Western Conference and now will have to do so without someone who has been a major factor for team on both ends of the floor.

Jackson remains optimistic, according to a tweet that he put out shortly after the injury.  

God knows I like challenges, we just talked

— JJJ (@jarenjacksonjr) August 4, 2020

The Grizzlies are now likely to start rookie Brandon Clarke in Jackson Jr.'s absence at the starting power forward position. Anthony Tolliver will more than likely get more minutes, along with Gorgui Dieng after not logging any time since the resumption of the season.

The team believes that although they are ruling Jackson Jr. out for the season that he will be ready to return full strength whenever the 2020-21 season begins.