Lakers News: Grizzlies' Ja Morant Exits LA Game with Injury

Memphis' best player is most likely done for the night.

Nov 6, 2024; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) drives to the basket around Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves (15) during the first half at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

All-NBA Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant has been officially ruled doubtful to return for the rest of Wednesday's ongoing clash with the Los Angeles Lakers. He exited the game in the third quarter after taking a hard fall. Morant suffered a right hamstring injury. WIth Memphis on the cusp of a blowout, he is not expected to return as the fourth quarter winds down, reports ESPN's Dave McMenamin.

Morant finishes the night with 20 points on 7-of-17 shooting from the field (2-of-3 from beyond the 3-point arc) and 4-of-5 shooting from the charity stripe, five assists (against five turnovers), four rebounds, one steal and one block. He's one of three Grizzlies starters to have scored 20 points on the night, alongside 2023 Defensive Player of the Year power forward Jaren Jackson Jr. and young shooting guard Jaylen Wells, filling in for starter Desmond Bane.

Across seven games for Memphis thus far this year, Morant is averaging 20.7 points on .454/.214/.837 shooting splits, 9.7 assists, 5.1 rebounds and 0.7 steals a night. Soon, the 6-foot-2 pro will surpass his total game tally for last season, when an injury and a suspension limited him to just nine healthy bouts.

With a hair under three minutes remaining, the Lakers currently trail Memphis 122-104, and are playing against ex-Los Angeles two-way players Ja Huff, Colin Castleton and Scotty Pippen Jr. off the Grizzlies bench.

As McMenamin notes, Los Angeles had started the year with a robust 3-0 record under first-time head coach JJ Redick. Across a five-game road trip, L.A. has gone 1-4, and now falls to a 4-4 (.500) record on the young 2024-25 season.

With All-NBA Lakers center Anthony Davis sidelined due to a left heel contusion and starting forward Rui Hachimura out with an illness, All-NBA Third Team Lakers power forward LeBron James took on more of L.A.'s scoring burden than usual. The four-time league MVP finished with a game-high 39 points on 15-of-24 shooting from the field (6-of-11 from long range) and 3-of-4 shooting from the foul line, seven rebounds, six assists and one steal.

The Lakers started rookie wing Dalton Knecht at small forward for Hachimura, and veteran backup center Jaxson Hayes in for Davis at the five spot. Los Angeles managed to stay relatively even with the Grizzlies during the game's first half, but Memphis' sharpshooting in the third quarter helped the club pull away late.

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