After their third loss on the bounce, the Memphis Grizzlies are in real danger of falling out of the automatic playoff spots. Sacking head coach Taylor Jenkins probably wasn’t the right option at the time. New interim coach Tuomas Iisalo’s life has been rocky at best with losses to the Thunder, Celtics, and Lakers in 5 days. With the 6th-placed Warriors boasting a 7-3 record in the last 10, they’re just half a game away from taking that 5th spot. Well, isn’t it convenient that the two meet tonight in an all-important clash?

Star guard Ja Morant was arguably the only attacker on the court to score points against the Celtics with a 26/6/5 stat line shooting 50% from the field. But he’s just come back from injury. Iisalo could be looking to ease him into the team rather than throw him on for every waking minute. Will Ja be featuring tonight though?

Grizzlies injury report ahead of Warriors clash

Morant missed six consecutive games because of a hamstring injury he suffered against the Cleveland Cavaliers on March 14th. Finding an apt rotational option for an interim head coach is a daunting task indeed. But Ja Magic Man’s magic wand can’t be wielded by anyone else. In just 45 appearances this season, he’s averaged box numbers of 22.4/4.2/7.4 while shooting nearly 45% from the field. But will that magic be on display at the FedEx tonight? Yes, as Ja Morant is set to play against the Warriors.

Ja’s been vocal about adapting to Iisalo’s difference in philosophy to Jenkins’. He’s been coached by Jenkins since he got picked up by the Grizzlies back in 2019. “It’s my first time really experiencing a coach leaving since I’ve been hooping. It was a lot to process. With the timing, it’s just tough. We had to quickly turn the page.”

The Golden State’s attack has been unstoppable. Even for a seasoned defensive option like Jaren Jackson Jr., the sight of Jimmy Butler and Steph Curry running at you can’t be pretty. He couldn’t prevent a dub for the Dub Nation the last time they met- and they were without both. He did contribute offensively though, scoring a team-high 23 points and a team-high 9 rebounds in 36 minutes as the Grizzlies lost 121-113. He’ll get his chance to exact revenge against the Bay Area, as he’s also set to play tonight.

But just like their report ahead of their loss to the Celtics, there are only two confirmed absentees for the Grizzlies tonight. Guard Zyon Pullin was out for the Celtics game due to a knee issue. But due to their back-to-back, Memphis has until 1 pm local to provide an injury report. For that, it’s safe to assume that he’s on a day-to-day basis for the Warriors clash. The other one is forward Brandon Clarke, whose season ended when he received an ortho biologic injection in his right knee on Monday. He’s set to return before the 2025-26 regular season and is out for tonight.

Grizzlies predicted lineup for Warriors clash

Contrary to the rest of their season, the Grizzlies are presented with a healthy squad for tonight. This is perfect considering the win against the Warriors could make or break their playoffs’ contention. That being said, this is their expected lineup at the FedEx Forum tonight:

Ja Morant will need to turn up big. This is probably the Grizzlies’ biggest match of the season. A loss tonight will bring them down to 6th, putting question marks on GM Zach Kleiman’s decision to get rid of a stable Taylor Jenkins during the playoffs run-in. Do you think they will be able to get it over the line against an in-form Warriors outfit?