Ja Morant, the Memphis Grizzlies’ star point guard, powered through a rolled ankle during the team’s tough 121-116 loss to the Golden State Warriors in the Play-In Tournament on Tuesday night.
Despite the injury, Morant remained steadfast, declaring postgame, “I’m playing. That’s basically the answer I’m giving. It ain’t nothing different,” according to Damichael Cole.
Morant’s resilience was on full display, as he played through the discomfort in the second half, contributing 22 points to his team’s efforts. Memphis, however, couldn’t overcome a stellar performance from Golden State’s Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler. Curry scored 37 points, including a clutch three-pointer with one minute remaining, while Butler added 38 points despite battling a left quad injury.
Memphis did not go down without a fight. Desmond Bane led the Grizzlies with 30 points, but their shooting struggles and turnovers—19 in total—proved costly. The Warriors capitalized on these mistakes, forcing the Grizzlies into difficult positions throughout the game.
While Morant and Bane combined for 52 points, the Grizzlies could not find enough support from the rest of their roster. Golden State’s key contributions came from their depth, with Quinten Post hitting 3-of-4 from beyond the arc for 11 points, and Gary Payton II adding 12 points off the bench.
Golden State’s win secured their place in the playoffs, where they will face the Houston Rockets starting Sunday. Memphis, meanwhile, will look ahead to their Friday night showdown against the winner of the Mavericks-Kings matchup for the final spot in the Western Conference playoffs.
