The Memphis Grizzlies are playoff-bound, all thanks to a massive 120-116 victory over the Dallas Mavericks in the play-in tournament on Friday. Led by a spectacular 22-point effort from Ja Morant and a 24-point night from Jaren Jackson Jr. The Grizzlies are now set to face the first-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the playoffs. Just a few days ago, Memphis was on the brink of elimination, and to pile up on their misery, Ja Morant also suffered an unfortunate ankle sprain. Things were not in Memphis’ favor, as Morant’s fitness had a big question mark over it. But Morant refused to be unavailable for his team’s biggest night of the season.

The Grizzlies’ point guard overcame the ankle injury he sustained in the Warriors’ matchup. While the process wasn’t easy, Morant had made up his mind. “Yeah, that’s why I went through the whole process to be out there. Went to the doctor, got an MRI and ultrasound, met some different doctors, got a shot, slept, woke up, came to the gym about 5:30, went for a walk. After that sat for about 30 minutes. Until it was time to see another doctor, get an injection, and start my pregame stuff, that’s really about it.” Morant stated. His participation in the game was just confirmed 30 minutes before the tip-off. Despite being in pain, Morant got several procedures done to play against the Mavericks.

He attested to the fact that this injury was more difficult to play through. “I feel like this one was more difficult than others, obviously, you know, regular season game, it’s not to go home. So this one was way more difficult. The whole process, like learning, you know what I would have had to do to you know, to be able to get out there. I was kind of questioning it, but um you know, with our staff um the doctors, you know, they gave me all the info I needed in simplest terms.” Morant stated. He expressed his gratitude toward the team’s medical staff who helped speed up his recovery. This allowed him to contribute massively, ensuring that Memphis made it to the playoffs, including a poster dunk.

Moreover, Morant also emphasised the difference between regular-season games and do-or-die games. He stated that, of course, these games carry much more weight, and hence, you cannot afford to miss such encounters. While it’s great to see Ja Morant back on the court, it makes you question his recovery. Will Morant playing through injury affect the Grizzlies’ chances against OKC? It’s a big question. Because Morant has missed a few games this season due to a shoulder injury, rushing his recovery might have some consequences. That’s something you would not want before facing the top-seeded team in the conference. Will Ja Morant be fit for the playoffs remains to be seen. Meanwhile, interim head coach Tuomas Iisalo revealed turmoil in the Grizzlies’ locker room.

Tuomas Iisalo reveals emotional turmoil in Memphis’ locker room

The Memphis Grizzlies have made it to the playoffs after a great performance against Dallas. While you might think it’s just another comeback, a lot went into this win behind the scenes. Just a few days ago, the Grizzlies withstood everything thrown at them from Jimmy Butler’s 38-point performance to Steph Curry’s late game heroics and Draymond Green’s fouls. Yet still, they couldn’t get the job done when it mattered the most. With just a few seconds on the clock, Memphis had the chance to draw level. They were just a three-pointer behind and called a timeout. What did they do? A disappointing five-second violation.

They never really recovered from that terrible play and went on to lose the matchup. Of course, this was met with disappointment in the locker room. Memphis’ interim head coach later revealed what went down after the loss. “The Golden State loss was very emotional for everybody. Because we thought we let a golden opportunity slip away, and that we can do better in the last couple of days.” Iisalo stated. He revealed that after the disappointing loss against Golden State, the entire Grizzlies locker room, including the coaching staff, was frustrated. They thought they missed a golden opportunity and wanted to lock in for their second shot at the postseason.

“I said this yesterday after the practice that you could feel it in every person that was in the gym, whether it be support staff, front office, coaching staff, players, everybody had just the sole focus of just getting everything out of this, and we’re going to do it together.” He stated that everyone associated with the franchise made sure that no stones were left unturned for the Dallas game. This also includes Ja Morant’s remarkable comeback. It’s great to see that the Grizzlies are holding their ground despite going through a massive change just before the playoffs. Now, they, Ja Morant and Co., will shift their focus toward OKC, whom they will be facing in the first round.