Memphis Grizzlies Ja Morant suffered during the game 3 from 2025 NBA after the middle collision with LU cake Oklahoma City Thunder late in the second quarter of the left hip injury. The injury was forced by a morant from the game when Memphis slipped 27 points away at a loss of 114-108, giving Grizzlies 3-0 in the series.
The injury occurred, with 3:15 left in the second quarter, when Morant promoted to a quick layout and collided in the air with a cake that seemed to lose position while trying to attack the game. Morant landed hard on his left side, grinned with pain, and remained on the floor for a few moments before he limp on the free throw line, and both attempts were missing.
Although he briefly returned to court, Morant immediately headed for the dressing room after he removed the jersey, later reappeared on crutches during the fourth quarter. Grizzlies officially excluded him for the rest of the game, and his status for game 4 remains uncertain. The interim coach Tuomas Iisalo confirmed that Morant is undergoing further evaluation.
Ja Morant received a permanent ovation after a hard fall and returned to shoot free feast before heading to the dressing room in the game 3. pic.twitter.com/rvtoqq7fgs– NBA on ESPN (@PNNNA) April 25, 2025
“Tomorrow is going through other ratings,” Iisalo said after the game. “Then we’ll know more.”
Fan reaction
The incident triggered an intensive online debate, with Draymond Green and numerous fans called the collision as a “dirty game”. Some accused the cake of being ruthless, and claiming that the morant’s injury could be prevented.
“LU Cake must be the most dirtiest player in the NBA,” one fan said on X (formerly Twitter). “Grizzlies was almost 30 with the possibility to tilt the momentum into the series on Saturdays. Instead, the cake ends the season Ja Morant on a ruthless game,” wrote another fan.
Others came to the cake’s defense, quoted slipping and his visible efforts to attack the ball, not the goal of Morant. After the game, the cake turned to Morant and offered an apology and said:
“I hope he’s okay. I obviously didn’t want to hit him like that.”
The officials reviewed the game and called a common foul and strengthened the view that contact was random, not intentional.
Thunder Stun Grizzlies with the second largest NBA play-off return
In the Morant’s Exit, Grizzlies led 27 points and seemed to have control to avoid the 3-0 series. But without their star guard, Memphis disintegrated. Thunder, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (31 points) and Chet Holmgren, mounted the historical second half and after Morant left the floor, Outscoring Memphis 74-41.
Holmgren, who had zero points in the first half, set fire to fire in the third quarter and earned 16 of his 24 points, including four 3-seasons. His explosion associated with tireless defense from Alexa Caruso and the company turned the tide for OKC.
“Mark Daigneault has changed the trajectory of the game,” Holmgren said. “Once I saw one go in, I felt good.”
According to ESPN research, the 26-point comeback was the largest rally of the second half in the history of the NBA playoffs and the second largest return since 1997-98.
Before the injury, Morant had 15 points, five assists and one reflection in just 16 minutes. Grizzlies built a massive lead for efficient shooting, especially from Scotta Pippen Jr., who gained 23 of his 28 points in the first half and from the arch 5 out of 6.
But after Morant’s departure, Memphis faced problems. In the second half, they shot only 9 out of 36 (3-Z-20 out of the 3-point range) and committed more turns (13) than created targets in the field (9). OKC capitalized with 15 points out of turn in the third quarter. “It is not enough to fight. You must also execute,” Iisalo said. “No.”
Now that Grizzlies are facing elimination in the game 4, the hopes of the Play -off team can rely on morant’s injury, which remains uncertain.
History of injury Ja Morant adds concern
This is not the first time Morant fought against hip problems. At the beginning of the 2024-25 season, he missed eight games due to the rear hip subluxation, which was maintained after a fall in the game against the Lakers. With Memphis already stretched thin, moant availability could be a factor for the series.
The game 4 is scheduled for Saturday and the pressure is on Memphis. Without Morant, Grizzlies are expected to be produced strongly on Luke Kennard and Scotty Pippen Jr. Meanwhile, Thunder will try to complete the sweeping and progress in the postseason.
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Published:
Aashish vashistha
Published on:
April 25, 2025
