Is Ja Morant playing today against Denver Nuggets? Latest on Memphis Grizzlies 2xNBA All-Star's status (Nov. 17)

The Memphis Grizzlies will be without their superstar Ja Morant for the fifth consecutive game as they take on the Denver Nuggets on Sunday. Morant remains sidelined with a right hip injury sustained during the Grizzlies’ 131-114 home victory against the LA Lakers on November 6.

In Morant’s absence, Taylor Jenkins’ team has gone 2-2 over their last four games. The Grizzlies currently hold a 7-6 record and sit in eighth place in the Western Conference standings after 13 games.

As for Morant’s recovery, the point guard has already missed five games this season, with no definitive timeline for his return. Coach Jenkins previously stated that while Morant has shown signs of progress, his status remains "week-to-week."

Dr. Michael Gerhardt, a former physician for the US Men’s Soccer Team, explained that Ja Morant’s injury, described as hip subluxation, is commonly associated with individuals involved in road accidents. Despite this, Dr. Gerhardt emphasized that the injury can be extremely painful.

"It’s still very painful," Dr. Gerhardt told The Commercial Appeal. "A lot of ligaments and things can get stretched in that area and can create problems in there, even though it wasn’t a full dislocation. It’s more common in high velocity accidents like motor vehicle accidents.

"Things where there’s high velocity forces involved that cause the hip to slide out of the back and dislocate," he added.

Ja Morant vs. Denver Nuggets

Ja Morant has faced the Denver Nuggets 12 times in his career, showcasing an impressive track record against one of the Western Conference’s top teams.

The dynamic point guard averages 24.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 7.7 assists and 1.5 steals per game against the Nuggets, shooting an efficient 50.5% from the field, including 39.5% from beyond the arc.

However, last season, Morant did not play in any games against Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets. He missed the first 25 games of the 2023-24 season due to a suspension and was later sidelined by injury.