The Grizzlies rookie had a season-high 35 points Saturday in the team’s season-ending loss to the Trail Blazers in the NBA’s first-ever play-in tournament. After the game, Morant said he played despite a broken right thumb.
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — After capping his rookie campaign with a season-best 35 points in a 126-122 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers in the NBA’s first-ever play-in tournament, Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant revealed he was playing hurt. “For the past four games, since the [Toronto] Raptors game, I was out there playing with a fractured thumb,” Morant said Saturday. The Grizzlies’ lightning-quick young star — the overwhelming favorite to win Rookie of the Year — wore a black brace over his right thumb, protecting the injury to his shooting hand. He shot 13-for-28 from the field — accounting for the most attempts he has had in the league since Memphis selected him with the No.2 pick out of Murray State — with 4 rebounds,8 assists and 8 turnovers.
