The Memphis Grizzlies have shocked the NBA world by winning their last four games without star point guard Ja Morant.
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Morant sprained his knee against the Atlanta Hawks, and since then the Grizzlies have had victories against Sacramento, Toronto, Oklahoma City and now Dallas on Saturday night.
The victory against the Mavericks also marked the first time in 25 years that an NBA team was able to record a streak of four or more consecutive cable-to-cable victories, defined by Elias Sports as victories in which the team was never behind and the score was never tied after 0-0.
With tonight’s victory in Dallas, @memgrizz they are the first @NBA team in the past 25 seasons (when play-by-play data was first tracked) to record a streak of more than 4 cable-to-cable wins, defined by @EliasSports as victories in which the team was never behind and the score was never tied after 0-0. pic.twitter.com/h5axwjwV7z
– Grizzlies PR (@GrizzliesPR) December 5, 2023
The last time Morant was injured for an extended period of time, the team lost four of its next five games. Now 13-10 in the season after the Mavs win, the Grizzlies remain in the playoffs image, very important given the parity in the Western Conference, until they can win back their star player. Against Dallas, Desmond Bane assumed the role of playmaker and had the best night of his career, finishing with 29 points and nine rebounds.
🐻 @ DBane0625The best night of his career (29 PTS, 9 REB) leads the @memgrizz to his fourth win in a row! pic.twitter.com/RMhhEZ3fHk
– NBA (@NBA) December 5, 2023
Morant is expected to return in a “couple of weeks,” according to coach Taylor Jenkins.
“He has been responding very well to the treatments, the lifting sessions that he has had and we are applying only small doses of work on the court just to make sure his knee moves and see how he responds day to day,” Jenkins said.
🔙🔜
– Ja Morant (@JaMorant) December 2, 2023
Before his injury, Morant had been producing an all-star game, averaging 24.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 6.8 assists on the season.