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USA Today via Reuters
Oct 30, 2023; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart (36) lays on the court during the second half against the Dallas Mavericks at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports
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USA Today via Reuters
Oct 30, 2023; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart (36) lays on the court during the second half against the Dallas Mavericks at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports
Things are not looking great for the Memphis Grizzlies, despite the season having just started. Their campaign was off to a disastrous beginning even before due to the action of Ja Morant. They lost him to a 25-game suspension due to his actions earlier in May. With him on the sidelines, fans were hoping to see other players like Derrick Rose and Marcus Smart step up. But sadly, their performance did not live up to their expectations.
With Rose’s knee injury, it seems the Grizzles camp has been plagued with injuries in recent times. The short-handed Memphis has been struggling, having already lost nine of the eleven games they have played this season. But the trail of bad news doesn’t seem to cease as the Grizzles face another blow with the recent injury that Marcus Smart sustained, which has put him out of the game for a long period.
Smart will be out of action due to injury
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On Tuesday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Marcus Smart injured his left ankle and had to depart to the locker room mid-game. Smart had played just eight minutes putting up three points, one rebound, one assist, one steal, and two blocks while shooting 1/3 from the field. Memphis lost 134-107 but fans hoped to see Smart come out and play for the next games after a short break.
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Unfortunately for the fans, Shams Charania from The Athletic reports that Smart could miss multiple games due to his injury. Since his move from the Boston Celtics, Smart has been struggling to find his footing in the team. The 29-year-old averages 12.5 points with 2.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists while shooting 42.9% from the field. He is used to being with a strong team like Boston and winning his outing at most times. But now the continuous losses seemed to take a toll on him. This injury does not add anything good to him now.
When will Ja Morant join the team?
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Morant has not played a single game with the Grizzlies this year. His suspension ends just before their December 19 clash with the New Orleans Pelicans in New Orleans. The first home game that Morant will be eligible to return for will be against the Indiana Pacers on December 21st.
Read More : Marcus Smart Gets Brutally Honest About Suspended Ja Morant’s Presence Around Grizzlies Camp
Morant serves this suspension due to him brandishing a forearm in an Instagram live on May 14. This was not the first time, as he was previously suspended for eight games in March due to a similar incident.
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Watch This Story: How Long Is Ja Morant Suspended For? Can the 2X All-Star Practice With the Team During $76 Million Worth Ban?
What do you think of Memphis’ chances this season? Do you think they can bounce back from this setback? Let us know in the comments.