Ja Morant’s injury and a historic second-half collapse delivered a crushing night for the Memphis Grizzlies, who fell 114-108 to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 3 of their Western Conference first-round series.
Morant Leaves Game After Scary Fall
Morant exited late in the second quarter after a hard fall while attacking the basket.
Thunder guard Luguentz Dort fouled Morant midair, causing him to land awkwardly. Morant, visibly limping, stayed in to shoot free throws — missing both — before immediately heading to the locker room.
He was later spotted on crutches and will undergo further evaluation Friday, according to Grizzlies interim coach Tuomas Iisalo.
“He’s going through further evaluations tomorrow,” Iisalo said.
The full severity of the injury and which hip was impacted remain unclear.
Dort Apologizes for Collision
Dort explained that the contact was accidental:
“I was running back, making a hustle play for my team. I didn’t know he was behind me… I hope he’s OK.”
Dort approached Morant at the free throw line to offer a brief apology.
Grizzlies Collapse After Morant Exit
At the time of Morant’s injury, Memphis led by 27 points. However, without their star, the Grizzlies unraveled in historic fashion.
Oklahoma City outscored Memphis 74-41 after halftime, completing the largest second-half comeback in NBA playoff history.
Morant finished with 15 points and 5 assists in just 16 minutes of action.
Injury Woes Continue for Morant
The 2024-25 season has been brutal for Morant, who already missed significant time with hip and pelvic injuries earlier in the year.
He played only 50 games during the regular season and now faces uncertainty ahead of a potential elimination Game 4 on Saturday.
