Ja Morant exited Portland’s 124–103 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies with a left hamstring injury during the fourth quarter.
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Ja Morant’s first game against his former team took a difficult turn when he left the court with a left hamstring injury during the fourth quarter of Portland’s 124–103 loss to Memphis on Thursday night.
Morant finished with 14 points and three assists in 23 minutes before exiting with 7:46 remaining in the fourth quarter. Portland’s PR account later posted that Morant “(L Hamstring) will not return to tonight’s game vs. MEM.”
Trail Blazers coach Micah Nori said afterward that Morant had felt discomfort in his hamstring and was being evaluated. Nori expressed hope the injury would not be serious, but he did not provide a definitive diagnosis or a recovery timetable.
The result ended Portland’s unbeaten start, while the Grizzlies improved to 5–0.
Morant’s injury added new urgency to what was already an emotional reunion. Memphis drafted Morant with the No. 2 overall pick in 2019, and he won NBA Rookie of the Year in 2019–20 and later earned the league’s Most Improved Player award. On June 29, the Grizzlies traded him to Portland in a deal that sent Jerami Grant and Kris Murray to Memphis.
With Portland set to visit Utah on Saturday, the team’s focus will now be on how Morant’s hamstring is progressing after the evaluation.
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