Thunder seek 16th straight win over shorthanded Grizzlies. Can Memphis overcome Morant's absence and a dominant OKC streak?
Ja Morant’s absence has become an unwelcome constant for the Memphis Grizzlies, and it will loom large again Friday night when they host the Oklahoma City Thunder amid two teams moving in sharply different directions.
Ja Morant will miss the Jan. 9 matchup with a right calf contusion, extending his absence to four consecutive games. The setback traces back to a Jan. 2 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, when Morant appeared visibly bothered late in the game. In the three contests since, he was listed as questionable, including Tuesday’s loss to Phoenix, when head coach Tuomas Iisalo described Morant as a game-time decision before ruling him out.
The injury is not unfamiliar territory. Morant suffered a Grade 1 right calf strain on Nov. 15 against Cleveland, an ailment that sidelined him for 10 games before his return on Dec. 12. Friday’s absence marks his 20th missed game of the season. When available, Morant has averaged 19 points and 7.6 assists across 18 appearances, production Memphis has struggled to replicate without him.
The timing is particularly challenging given the opponent. The visiting Thunder have won 15 straight games against Memphis, a streak that initially reads like a statistical error but has grown into a defining subplot of the matchup. Oklahoma City will attempt to extend that run against a Grizzlies team that has been battered by injuries since opening night.
While the Thunder surged out of the gate at 24-1, their recent form has leveled. Oklahoma City has gone 7-6 over its last 13 games, a modest slide after early-season talk of historic pace and comparisons to the 2015–16 Warriors. Even so, signs of vulnerability have not lingered long.
On Wednesday, Oklahoma City leaned on its star to secure a 129-125 overtime win against Utah. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander poured in 46 points, carrying the Thunder despite injuries to key rotation players, including Isaiah Hartenstein and Alex Caruso.
Thunder coach Mark Daigneault framed Gilgeous-Alexander’s performance as emblematic of his consistency under pressure.
In a postgame setting following the Utah win, Daigneault highlighted his star’s composure before delivering his assessment.
“Most impressive thing is how natural he looks regardless of the circumstance,” Daigneault said. “He looks like the same player every minute of the game, every second of the game, down to the last second. He doesn’t waver. Everything is consistent, even in the pressure moments. That’s why he’s such a great pressure player.”
Memphis enters the matchup from a very different place. After an encouraging home win over San Antonio on Tuesday, the Grizzlies were overwhelmed 117-98 by Phoenix the following night. With much of the regular rotation unavailable, Memphis fell behind early and never recovered, turning the ball over 18 times, which the Suns converted into 25 points.
Iisalo addressed the sluggish showing afterward, pointing to fatigue and limited personnel on the second night of a back-to-back.
“We can do better,” Iisalo said. “Everybody understands that we had a tough game (on Tuesday). It seemed like one of those back-to-backs where we just didn’t have it from the beginning. We have to find a way to get through these games.”
The larger challenge has been continuity. Guards Ty Jerome and Scotty Pippen Jr. have yet to play this season due to calf and toe injuries, respectively. Morant has missed more than half the schedule. Memphis has used over a dozen different lineups in 37 games, a level of instability that has stalled cohesion.
After Wednesday’s loss, Iisalo reflected on the broader toll of constant roster turnover and the patience it requires.
“There is constant instability with the roster,” Iisalo said. “It’s changing every game. I will say this, like I said after (beating San Antonio on Tuesday), guys are doing a great job competing and making the best out of that situation.
“You can really start to improve when you have some stability. We haven’t had that yet. We are working towards that and, in the meantime, we are trying to do everything we can in order to be competitive.”
Until that stability arrives — and until Morant returns — Memphis remains in survival mode as Oklahoma City continues to press its advantage.