The Memphis Grizzlies can’t catch a break on the injury front. They are slated to be extremely shorthanded when they face the Oklahoma City Thunder tomorrow night. As a result, the Grizzlies youngsters need to continue producing.
Memphis Grizzlies Slated To Be Extremely Shorthanded, 4 Rotational Players Dealing With Concerning Injuries
Already without reserve guard Marcus Smart, Memphis (22-10) will also be without Ja Morant and Santi Aldema when the Grizzlies travel to Oklahoma City (25-5) in a battle between the top two Western Conference teams. ESPN’s Tim MacMahon reported Saturday evening that Morant will sit out Sunday due to an AC joint sprain in his right shoulder.
Memphis Grizzlies superstar Ja Morant will miss Sunday night’s matchup of the top two teams in the Western Conference standings due to an AC joint sprain in his right shoulder, the team announced.
The Grizzlies did not announce a timetable for Morant’s recovery beyond the road game against the West-leading Oklahoma City Thunder.
Morant suffered the injury when he crashed into a screen set by New Orleans Pelicans center Daniel Theis during Friday’s night game, which the Grizzlies ultimately won 132-124. After falling to the ground, Morant eventually walked to the locker room. While Morant did not return to the court, he did finish watching the game on the bench.
This arm injury is particularly troubling for Morant, whose injury history is growing. Morant missed 47 games last year after undergoing season-ending surgery in January to repair a labral tear in his right shoulder. So, expect the 25-year-old to miss multiple games.
The game against OKC marks Morant’s 13th absence this season. The Grizzlies have had mixed results in games that Morant has missed, posting a 58-76 record. However, the Griz went 20-5 in 2021-22 and are 8-4 this year without their star point guard.
Marcus Smart To Miss At least 2 More Weeks, Santi Aldema Reportedly Week-to-Week
The team announced Saturday evening that Smart, who suffered a partial tear of the proximal extensor hood of his right index finger last Saturday, will sit out at least two more weeks. Therefore, the injury will cost Smart at least 10 games, as the 30-year-old has already missed three games.
The Grizzlies have seven contests between Sunday and January 11. So, if Smart is cleared immediately after the subsequent evaluation of the injury, he could return to action on January 13 against Houston.
Smart has struggled to stay healthy and produce this season. He has come off the bench in 12 of his 18 games this year and averages just 9.2 points on 37.3% shooting from the field and 33.3% from deep. He also averages 3.8 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.9 turnovers in 21 minutes.
Memphis also provided an update on key reserve forward Santi Aldama. Aldema missed his first game of the season on Friday night after being limited to three minutes of action against Toronto on Thursday due to a left sprained ankle. He is considered week-to-week, so the 23-year-old will likely miss at least four more games, with his next chance to suit up being next Monday (January 6).
Aldama has continued his improvement this year. The 6-11 Spaniard is having a career season with 13.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.0 assists. He is also producing career-best shooting numbers with 50.8/38.8/76.7.
In addition, veteran forward Brandon Clarke is dealing with knee soreness and is listed as questionable for tonight’s contest. Clarke has been the healthiest of his career this season, having only missed one game.
Memphis Depth and Youngsters
Memphis has been one of the best teams all season long, and a major reason for this is the Grizzlies’ depth. The Grizzlies have the league’s best bench.
Memphis’ reserves lead the league in scoring (48.6 points) and minutes (22). The Griz’s bench mob is also third in scoring margin (+4.0). The Grizzlies also have 13 players who average at least 12 minutes a game.
A big part of Memphis’s success for both units has been due to the play of the Grizzlies’ youngsters. The Grizzlies are the seventh youngest team in the league, with the average age of their 18 players being 25.04. They have 10 players who are 24 or younger.
Grizzlies Youth
A few of these youngsters will have to step up due to the Grizzlies’ injuries. Scotty Pippen Jr., 24, will likely start in place of Morant against OKC.
Pippen has been a major part of the Grizzlies rotation. The 6-1 point guard showed that he was an NBA player last season in his audition after signing a two-way deal with the franchise in January. He earned a standard contract during training camp and has been a significant part of the Griz’s rotation.
Pippen has been solid defensively and a shooter while improving as a ballhandler and distributor. While Pippen has struggled a little this month, he has been very productive as a starter. In 11 starts this season, he averages 15.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 6.2 assists with shooting splits of 53.3/40/69.7.
Jaylen Wells has been one of the biggest surprises of the rookie class. The 23-year-old forward has started 27 of his 32 appearances and averages 11.5 points a game in 25 minutes, though he could see an increase in playing time with the injuries.
Zach Edey is a strong rookie-of-the-year candidate and has been extremely productive since returning from injury. The 7-4 center averages a double-double over his last six appearances.
Jake LaRavia and Jay Huff are both having career years. LaRavia, 23, and Huff, 26, are relatively inexperienced despite being in their third and fourth year. Both players will likely see an uptick with Aldema out, especially if Clarke also has to sit.
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