Ja Morant Injury Looms Over Grizzlies' Playoff Exit

The Memphis Grizzlies were swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the NBA playoffs, with Ja Morant asserting that his hip contusion suffered in Game 3 was a pivotal moment. Morant, who exited after a hard fall while Memphis led by 29 points, maintains the series could have been tied 2-2 had he remained healthy, stating he had figured out the Thunder. The Grizzlies sustained heavy losses in Games 1 and 2 but appeared set to win Game 3 before Morant's injury, ultimately losing a close contest and then narrowly dropping Game 4 without him. Morant noted that, despite this being one of his healthiest seasons, he played only 50 games and averaged 23.2 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 7.3 assists per game. The team's early exit has led to offseason uncertainty and speculation about necessary roster changes. Despite Morant's confidence in what might have been, the Thunder's dominance in the series was clear.