Memphis Grizzlies star point guard Ja Morant is a game-time decision for Friday night’s play-in game against the Dallas Mavericks due to his injured right ankle.
Morant was hurt during Tuesday night’s 121-116 road loss against the host Golden State Warriors when he landed on the foot of Golden State’s Buddy Hield with 4:25 left in the third quarter.
“My feel with him is he’ll do absolutely everything in order to play,” Memphis coach Tuomas Iisalo said after Thursday’s practice. “If he’s physically able to do it, he will do it. It’s a legitimate game-time decision.”
Morant, 25, later returned to the game against Golden State in the fourth quarter and finished with 21 points. He said afterward that he planned to play Friday.
Iisalo is hoping Morant’s ankle responds well to treatment.
“He’s also a very good judge of how and if he’s ready to go or not,” Iisalo said. “I’m leaning on the experts in this situation, which clearly I’m not in the medical department.”
A two-time All-Star, Morant average 23.2 points, 7.3 assists and 4.1 rebounds in 50 regular-season games this season.
The winner of Friday’s contest will be the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference and will face the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the playoffs.
