Ja Morant limps off court after scary fall during Oklahoma City Thunder vs Memphis Grizzlies

The Memphis Grizzlies were finally finding their groove in Game 3 of their first-round playoff series against the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder. Up by 27 points late in the second quarter, the energy was high, the crowd was loud, and Ja Morant was leading the charge with 15 points and five assists in just 16 minutes. But then, everything changed in a flash as Morant took a scary fall.

With 3:15 left in the half, Morant took off on a fast break following a Thunder turnover. As Scotty Pippen Jr. dished the ball to Morant near the rim, Oklahoma City’s Luguentz Dort collided with the airborne guard. The result was a frightening fall as Morant came crashing down hard on his left hip. The FedExForum fell silent.
Despite being clearly in pain, Morant limped to the free-throw line and attempted both foul shots. He missed both and exited the game.
“Ja Morant received a standing ovation after taking a hard fall and coming back to shoot free throws before heading to the locker room in Game 3,” NBA on ESPN wrote on X sharing images of Morant as he got astonishing crowd support.

The play was reviewed for a flagrant foul, but officials ruled it a common foul, sparking outrage from Grizzlies fans both in the arena and across social media. Many called for Dort to be suspended, arguing that the contact was reckless and dangerous. Still, no further action was taken.

The Grizzlies later provided an update during the third quarter. “Ja Morant (hip) will not return tonight against Oklahoma City,” the team posted on X. The official diagnosis was a left hip contusion. It’s the second time this postseason Morant has dealt with injury concerns, he also exited the Grizzlies' play-in game last week after rolling his ankle.
While Memphis held onto its lead for most of the third quarter, the absence of their star guard casts a shadow over what should have been a confidence-building performance. Morant had been a standout in giving the Grizzlies an early advantage, and his injury could not come at a worse time as the team tries to claw back from a 0-2 series deficit.
Also Read: New York Knicks vs Detroit Pistons: Karl-Anthony Towns’ 31-point showdown secures Game 3 win
It remains unclear whether Morant will be available for Game 4 on Saturday. With their season on the line, Memphis may have to once again lean on its bench depth and hope that its franchise star power isn’t sidelined for long.