Is Ja Morant playing tonight against Sacramento Kings? Latest update on 2-time All-Star's status (Dec. 31)

Is Ja Morant playing tonight against the Sacramento Kings? Morant returned to action after a one-game absence following a battle with an illness. He struggled on his return against the LA Clippers on Friday, finishing with just 19 points on 7-for-19 shooting.

According to the latest Memphis Grizzlies injury report, Morant will be available to play on New Year's Eve at home to welcome the Kings. However, the Grizzlies are still going to be short-handed, with five injured players and two players assigned to the NBA G League.

Steven Adams and Brandon Clarke are out while Luke Kennard, John Konchar and Derrick Rose are listed as questionable. Kennard has only played eight games this season due to a lingering knee issue, while Konchar is a likely game-time decision with an illness. Rose has a strained left hamstring and has not played since Dec. 15.

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What happened to Ja Morant?

What happened to Ja Morant?

Ja Morant has only played five games this season after serving a 25-game suspension at the start of the campaign.

Morant returned on Dec. 19 and helped the Memphis Grizzlies win four straight games. He missed the Dec. 28 matchup against the Denver Nuggets, with the defending champions getting an easy 142-105 win.

Morant had a non-COVID-19 illness, which is a regular occurrence in the NBA at the moment. It's possibly because of the flu season in the United States, which usually lasts from December to February.

The two-time All-Star returned to action a day later against the Clippers. He struggled with his shot as the Grizzlies lost 117-106. The Kings are going to be a tough matchup, as they are fifth in the Western Conference.

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Ja Morant stats vs Kings

Ja Morant has faced the Sacramento Kings 10 times since entering the league in 2019. Morant is averaging 21.2 points, 4.0 rebounds and 6.8 assists against the Kings, while shooting 47.9% from the field.

The Memphis Grizzlies have been successful versus Sacramento in those 10 games with Morant. They are 6-4, and the latest win was on Jan. 1 last season. He had 35 points, eight rebounds and five assists to lead Memphis to a 118-108 victory.

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