Hobbled Ja Morant reminds Grizzlies coach of Isiah Thomas’ finals heroics against Magic Johnson’s Showtime Lakers

Memphis Grizzlies head coach Tuomas Iisalo was impressed to see Ja Morant come back to finish Tuesday’s game against the Warriors. Morant landed awkwardly when he stepped on Buddy Hield’s foot and tweaked his ankle. This took place during the third quarter, but Ja came back to finish the game with his team before being taken off with 3:44 in the fourth.

Speaking after the game, Iisalo mentioned that Morant’s return to the floor reminded him of Pistons legend Isiah Thomas, who did something similar against Magic Johnson’s Showtime Lakers during the 1988 Finals. He said:

“Seeing him in that situation, to me, that generation that still remembers Isiah Thomas hopping around on one ankle,” Iisalo said.

“It wasn’t quite that. Hopefully it’s not as severe. I have no information on that. It was inspiring, and I think it also lifted the guys up to see that your leader is putting it all on the line.”

Unfortunately, Morant’s return to the floor wasn’t enough to inspire his team to victory. The Grizzlies lost 116-121 and failed to contain Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler, who combined to score 75 points.

Morant had a solid game, recording 22 points, three assists and three rebounds. Desmond Bane was Memphis’ best player and finished his night with 30 points, six rebounds and four assists.

“I’m playing”: Ja Morant on his availability for the Grizzlies’ upcoming play-in tournament game

Ja Morant was hobbling on his leg until the end of Tuesday’s game against the Warriors. Now, the Memphis Grizzlies will face either the Dallas Mavericks or the Sacramento Kings, depending on who wins between the two on Wednesday.

Speaking after the game against the Warriors, Morant gave a straight answer when asked about his availability for the next game, despite not being in the best shape.

“I’m playing,” Morant said. “That’s basically the answer I’m giving. It ain’t nothing different.”

Having Ja Morant on the floor makes the Grizzlies better by a mile. Unfortunately, this has been a tough season for Morant, as he has only made 50 appearances.

He also posted his lowest points average since the 2021-22 season. He recorded 23.2 points, 7.3 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game this season. Memphis will need him at his best if they hope to win Saturday’s game and advance to the playoffs.

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback

About the author

” data-lazy=”https://keedag.sportskeeda.com/user-pic/2075751-1732968679-200.jpg?w=200″
alt=”Sameer Khan” height=”72″ width=”72″>

Sameer is an esports and gaming journalist at Sportskeeda who covers a diverse range of topics. He is currently pursuing a BSc degree from BITS, but his love for video games pushed him to pursue a gaming journalism career. He relies on diligent research and fact-checking to deliver top-notch content. He has previously worked in the hospitality sector with the Oberoi Group.

Sameer’s gaming journey began with Rockstar Games’ GTA franchise, specifically
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. He strongly prefers multiplayer games, with FPS being his favorite genre, and has devoted 6K+ hours to CS:GO! However, he also dabbles in open-world, story-based games from time to time. Solo RPGs like Horizon Forbidden West hold a soft spot in his heart, and he would readily drop in it given a Jumanji-type scenario.

Sameer makes sure to follow Counter-Strike and Valorant esports tournaments, as he believes that watching a game being played at the highest level can be highly educational. He derives inspiration from Tarik’s meteoric rise to become one of the biggest FPS streamers in the world following the release of Valorant.

Outside of work, you can find Sameer playing football or cheering for FC Barcelona. He also likes to read and write poetry.

Know More

Edited by Nadim El Kak