Yes Morant leaves Grizzlies’ win with shoulder injury

NEW ORLEANS — Yes Morant stood near the end of the Memphis bench and cheered on his teammates, but let his right arm hang under his injured shoulder as the Grizzlies closed out a 132-124 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Friday night.

Morant was hurt when he crashed into a tough but legal screen set by Daniel Theis during the third quarter. The collision sent Morant crashing to the floor in a manner that led officials to initially whistle Theis for a foul before overturning the replay review call.

Morant went to the locker room to be examined and eventually returned to the bench, but not for the game. He used his left arm to point triumphantly at his teammates after they hit clutch shots in the final minutes.

Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins had “no update” on Morant’s condition after the game. Just about a year ago, a torn labrum in the same shoulder ended Morant’s 2023-24 season.

“Obviously he took a nice shot there to the shoulder, but we’ll get more of an evaluation in the next couple of days,” Jenkins said, before praising the “great determination” his team showed in holding off the Pelicans, after Morant left. out.

“Losing someone like that is never easy,” Memphis guard Desmond Bane said. “But we kept our composure and were able to make plays down the stretch.”

The Grizzlies were scheduled to have updates by Saturday on all injured players heading into Sunday’s game at Western Conference-leading Oklahoma City.

Morant was able to dress himself in his locker after the game in New Orleans. He appeared to be in good spirits and was not wearing a sling. But he also continued to keep his right arm largely still and dangling at his side.

The 25-year-old Morant has averaged 21 points this season – a notch below his career average of 22.4.

Earlier this season, Morant sat out eight games with a posterior hip subluxation and multiple Grade 1 pelvic muscle strains. The Grizzlies (22-10) went 5-3 during that stretch.

Morant scored 25 points in New Orleans but had just one point in the second half before his injury. Still, the Grizzlies surpassed the 130-point threshold, a night after scoring a franchise-record 155 points in a win over Toronto.

The Grizzlies’ current offensive flow, Bane said, is “balanced, it’s together, it’s fast — all those things.”