The Playoff race is heating up! Amongst those in contention for a spot are the Memphis Grizzlies. With just less than a month remaining in the regular season, every game is a must-win for the 5th-seeded Grizzlies. While they are fifth in the Western Conference at the moment they only are a single game behind the Rockets, who are 2nd seed. After missing out on post-season basketball entirely last season Memphis is adamant on securing a spot this time around. Their hunt sees them make a trip to Portland tonight to face the Portland Trail Blazers.

Memphis comes into this game after a devastating defeat against Sacramento on Monday. A major factor contributing to their defeat might have been the fact that the Grizzlies were short-handed at the Golden 1 Center. Superstars such as Ja Morant and Santi Aldama were out for the Grizzlies. In their absence, shooting guard Desmond Bane stepped up dropping a massive 44-point game, but his effort amounted to nothing in the end. For tonight’s matchup Memphis fans are hoping that a few of their stars return to the court as they need to bounce back from this defeat. The major focus is on point guard, Ja Morant given his importance to the team. So, will he play tonight?

Memphis Grizzlies injury report ahead of a must-win clash in Portland

For the most part of the season, the Grizzlies have been impressive, but their most crucial test lies ahead of them. The next stretch of games could make or break Memphis’ season, so it’s very important for them to be as cautious as possible. Moreover, they will need to stay healthy and play with passion. For that, the Grizzlies will require their ace point guard– Ja Morant. The 25-year-old has been missing for the last two games and fans are hoping he returns to help Memphis’ playoff push. So, is Ja Morant back? Well, unfortunately, that’s not the case. The point guard is out for tonight’s game due to a hamstring injury.

Morant has been struggling with a shoulder injury this season and missed 27 games this season. However, this hamstring injury comes as a surprise moreover, another cause of concern for the Grizzlies. They need Morant to be in the best shape for not only the regular season but for the playoffs. His stats speak for themselves, Morant is averaging 22.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 7.4 assists. So, not having him on the court is a massive blow for the team. Additionally, the Grizzlies haven’t been great without Morant this season.

The Grizzlies are 15-12 without Morant, that’s nowhere near the caliber of a playoff team. Memphis desperately needs Morant to help them in this high-intensity stretch. However, there’s no set timeline for his return and Memphis faithful can only hope Morant makes a comeback soon. Well, Morant’s injury isn’t the only concern, the team is also hard-hit with injuries to other key players. One of the most notable of them is Santi Aldama. The Spanish forward is out with an unfortunate calf injury and is questionable for tonight’s matchup. His injury has also been disastrous for the Grizzlies.

Aldama is having a solid season averaging 12.7 points and 6.7 rebounds. It will be great news for Memphis if he returns to the hardwood against Portland. Meanwhile, young guard Scotty Pippen Jr. is also out with a wrist injury. He’s questionable for the clash. The 24-year-old combo guar has been a handy player and his return could help the team. The list doesn’t end here! Zyon Pullin is not going to play tonight due to a knee injury. Lastly, Lamar Stevens also joins this long list due to shoulder soreness. Amid these injury crises, head coach Taylor Jenkins has had to make a lot of changes to his rotation. Will we see more of that tonight?

How can the Memphis Grizzlies line up tonight?

With Ja Morant still out, the Grizzlies HC will once again have to trust backup Luke Kennard to assume the point role. Meanwhile, players such as Jaren Jackson Jr., who is having stellar campaigns will need to take charge due to the other injuries. The power forward has been great this season averaging 22.5 points while shooting 50 percent from the field. He’ll have to lead the offensive with help from Desmon Bane and others.

So, here’s how the Grizzlies could start:

Overall, this won’t be a walk in the park for the Grizzlies. The Trail Blazers are coming into this game with back-to-back wins and will not surrender easily. Despite being short-handed Memphis will have to show up and play with passion with their playoff birth on the line. Players such as Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane will have to emulate their scoring performances yet again if they want to walk away from Portland with a win. This means it will be a great ball game tonight at the Moda Center as everyone watches closely.