Is Ja Morant playing tonight against Kings? Latest on Grizzlies 2xNBA All-Star's status (Jan. 3)

The Memphis Grizzlies will face their Western Conference rivals Sacramento Kings on Friday but they will be without their star guard Ja Morant. Morant has been ruled out and is listed on the Grizzlies' injury report as he continues to recover from a right shoulder injury.

The two-time All-Star sustained the injury during Memphis' 132-124 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Dec. 27. Morant took a hard hit to his shoulder while attempting to maneuver around a screen set by Daniel Theis. The painful blow ended his night early after an impressive performance of 25 points in 25 minutes, shooting 8 of 11 from the field and dishing out seven assists.

The Grizzlies recently provided an update on Morant's condition, revealing that he suffered a Grade 1 AC joint sprain in his right shoulder. The team announced that Morant will be evaluated on a week-to-week basis as he recovers from this latest setback.

It has been a challenging, injury-plagued season for the electrifying point guard, who is set to miss his third consecutive game and his 14th overall this season, having played in just 20 of the team’s 34 contests.

Despite Ja Morant’s absence for a significant portion of the season, the Grizzlies have managed to excel. Under head coach Taylor Jenkins, the team has performed exceptionally well and currently sits second in the highly competitive Western Conference standings with a strong 23-11 record.

Where to watch Memphis Grizzlies vs. Sacramento Kings?

The Memphis Grizzlies vs. Sacramento Kings game is scheduled to take place on Friday, Jan. 3, at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. The game will tip off at 10 p.m. EST (7 p.m. PT).

The Grizzlies vs. Kings game will be telecast live on NBCS-CA (local) and FDSSE (local) while the pre game coverage will begin one hour before tip off. The live streaming will be available on the NBA League Pass and Fubo TV app and website (regional restrictions may apply).