Tragedy strikes the Grizzlies! With Ja Morant back in the lineup after last year’s season-ending shoulder injury, they have turned into one of the most dominant teams and currently rank third in the West. And they headed into tonight’s Pelicans clash, hoping to surely continue that momentum. However, things suddenly took a drastic turn when Ja was forced to leave the game after a scary collision with big man Daniel Theis.

Well, the incident occurred in the third quarter while Ja Morant was guarding Herb Jones. Amid his defensive effort to stay in front of Jones, the Grizzlies star ran into a hard screen from Theis and seemingly hurt his shoulder. In a scary sight, the Memphis talisman immediately fell to the floor in immense agony and his hand began shivering. Meanwhile, the officials called an illegal screen on Theis.

Then, Ja Morant was helped off the court by a staff member and he collapsed on the bench, favoring his shoulder. Sure enough, the hoopster checked out of the game and headed to the locker room to assess a potential injury. On the floor, the Pelicans challenged the foul and the replay showed that Theis’ screen was completely legal. The call was overturned and the Pels regained possession.

Adding to the Grizzlies’ concerns, it was later reported that Ja was doubtful to return for the remainder of the night because of a right shoulder injury. Unfortunately, it’s the same shoulder that caused Morant to miss the majority of last season…

Yes, he underwent surgery after suffering a labral tear in his right shoulder. Surely, the community would be hoping that tonight’s setback is unrelated to his previous injury. Because the Memphis Grizzlies cannot afford to lose him right now.

Grizzlies win despite Ja Morant’s absence, but upcoming schedule raises BIG concerns

Although Ja Morant’s exit was unfortunate, he left the game having scored 25 points, which helped the Grizzlies gain a commanding lead. And they managed to hold onto that advantage and added another win to their column despite their superstar’s absence. Well, Jaren Jackson Jr. also played a huge part in the win as he went off for 33 points. Sure, the Grizzlies were able to pull through without Ja tonight, but that might not be the case going forward.

That’s because their next eleven games are all against tough Western Conference teams. Moreover, most of them are on the road, which would make it even more difficult for the team to win without Ja Morant. After all, he is their best player, averaging 21 points and nearly 8 assists. As the Grizzlies prepare for the tough schedule, fans desperately await an update, praying that he returns soon.