Ja Morant kept it real Friday when asked about battling through his ankle injury against the Dallas Mavericks.
The Memphis Grizzlies point guard was instrumental in his team’s 120-106 win over the Mavs in the final game of the play-in tournament at FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn. Morant tallied 22 points, 9 assists, 7 rebounds, and 3 steals to fuel his team to victory.
While he shot an inefficient 7/24 from the field, Morant was flying all over the floor all night to create plays for himself and his teammates. He was even healthy enough to throw down a Dunk of the Year candidate in the first quarter.
It’s hard to believe Morant was a game-time decision due to the ankle injury he suffered Tuesday against the Golden State Warriors. When Scott Van Pelt asked Morant about his ankle on SportsCenter after the game, Morant didn’t hide how much medical assistance he had to take the floor.
“Couldn’t feel it,” said Morant. “That’s why I was out there.”
"Couldn't feel it, that's why I was out there." 😅
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 19, 2025
Ja Morant on pushing through an ankle injury in the play-in win vs. Dallas.@notthefakeSVP pic.twitter.com/T6loH7bsPs
Before the game, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that there was “no structural damage” on Morant’s ankle. However, Morant was dealing with a “severe ankle sprain” that pushed him to have an injection on Thursday to address the pain and swelling in his ankle.
Morant took full advantage of the medical assistance, playing with the same reckless abandon that Grizzlies fans are used to seeing from the high-flying All-Star. But Morant’s more than likely going to feel his ankle once the drugs start to wear off.
