Lakers News: How LA Is Game-Planning For Uncertain Availability Of Ja Morant

Morant's fate ahead of another Grizzlies home game remains murky.

Your Los Angeles Lakers were able to pull away from the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday for a 128-112 victory in the first game of their 2-7 first round playoff matchup, thanks in no small part to the absence of the Grizzlies' best scorer and ball handler, All-Star point guard Ja Morant, whose right hand bruise was re-aggravated in a fall, prompting him to leave in the game's fourth quarter with his team only trailing four points at the time, 105-101.

Now, Memphis has announced that Morant is merely questionable to suit up tonight, and his ultimate status may not be determined until much closer to game time.

LA shooting guard Austin Reaves reflected on how tough the team's game-planning for tonight's game has been without a clearer sense of Morant's availability, per Elliott Teaford of The Orange County Register.

“It’s difficult,” Reaves said. “It’s so big of a question mark. You don’t know if he’s going to play, if he’s not going to play. We just take care of our work and prepare for everything, every possible outcome, both ways. So that’s really the plan going forward.”

With or without Morant, LA proved it could handle the remaining healthy Grizzlies. Memphis is also without starting center Steven Adams and reserve power forward/center Brandon Clarke for the entire postseason.

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