On Tuesday night, the Memphis Grizzlies won their third straight game, beating the Dallas Mavericks 120-109. That win came a day after the team announced Ja Morant’s season was over due to a shoulder injury that would require surgery, putting a significant damper on any enthusiasm for a Grizzlies run.
Memphis had shown signs of life with Morant back from suspension, but now they’ll have to navigate the rest of the season without him. That figured to shift considerable responsibility onto the shoulders of Marcus Smart, but he suffered an injury to his right ring finger during that win over Dallas, as his finger appeared to pop out of place on a three-point attempt (that he impressively made) in the game.
Marcus Smart drills a casual three with a dislocated finger. pic.twitter.com/IqHp5iVVQv
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) January 10, 2024
Unfortunately for Smart and the Grizzlies, that finger injury was more than a simple dislocation and will keep him sidelined for at least the next six weeks, putting real stress on the Memphis backcourt rotation.
The @memgrizz today announced the following medical update. pic.twitter.com/38T9Yxmv2T
— Grizzlies PR (@GrizzliesPR) January 11, 2024
Vince Williams Jr. has emerged as a breakout player this year on the defensive end for the Grizzlies and figures to get even more burn with Smart out for an extended time, while Desmond Bane will shoulder an even larger creation burden on the offensive end. It’s the continuation of an absolutely brutal season for the Grizzlies, and it feels like it will be a lost year in Memphis with a focus on continuing to develop young talent in the rotation with an eye on 2024-25.
Source: https://uproxx.com/dimemag/marcus-smart-out-six-weeks-finger-injury-video/
