The previous night, it was the Golden State Warriors who couldn’t recover from Jimmy Butler's injury in the second game of the series against the Houston Rockets before heading back to San Francisco… but now, it’s Memphis Grizzlies who have taken a hard hit on two fronts. Just after losing Ja Morant, they became victims of the largest comeback ever seen in playoff history against the Oklahoma City Thunder (108-114).

Morant's Shocking Injury

After two losses to the Thunder at the start of the series in Oklahoma, the Grizzlies returned to Memphis with the pressure to secure their first win if they didn’t want to risk their playoff run in NBA 2025. The start, of course, was the right one to achieve that. The first-quarter score was 40-29… and they followed it up with a solid 37-22 in the second.

However, just before halftime, Ja Morant suffered a shocking fall after a hard collision with Lu Dort while attempting to drive to the basket, which completely changed the dynamics of the game for the Grizzlies. With great effort, Morant managed to get up to take the two free throws he was awarded… but the pain prevented him from making either of them.

Morant's Injury Changed the Game

Immediately, Ja Morant called for a substitution and, although he was able to walk off the court by himself, he left before halftime with concerning signs of pain in his hip. Morant, as a reminder, had already been dealing with an ankle issue during the first game of the series against Oklahoma… though he was still able to play in the second game. This time, however, the prognosis seems much more serious, according to statements made by a Memphis assistant coach after the game.

Without a doubt, it was the moment that defined the game, as the Grizzlies never mentally recovered from Ja Morant's injury. A scenario that the Thunder took advantage of, crushing the Grizzlies in the second half with an impressive 18-36 run, starting to craft a historic victory in the final quarter to complete the largest comeback ever seen in playoff history… and put the series at 3-0 in their favor.