Why is Ja Morant not playing against Atlanta Hawks? Latest on Grizzlies superstar's absence (Mar. 3)

Ja Morant missed his second-straight game on Monday night. The Memphis Grizzlies took on the Atlanta Hawks with Morant out due to an injury. The Grizzlies star suffered from a sore right shoulder after going up against the New York Knicks on Friday.

Against the Knicks, Morant clocked in 31 minutes and did not exit the game early on Friday. However, it was after the game when Ja was placed on the injury report.

He reportedly strained his right shoulder, which became sore. This resulted in the explosive guard's absence in their matchup against the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday.

As of the time of this writing, there aren't any reports as to when Ja Morant could make his return to the Grizzlies' lineup. No reports have also revealed how severe his right shoulder soreness is.

In the meantime, all Memphis fans can do is pray their star point guard comes back in time for their matchup against the OKC Thunder on Wednesday.

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Ja Morant fined $25,000 for throwing ball into stands

Ja Morant and the Memphis Grizzlies took on the New York Knicks on Friday. Friday just wasn't Morant's night. Aside from the heartbreaking loss, the Grizzlies star suffered from a shoulder injury after the game. To make things worse, the NBA fined him $25,000 for throwing the ball into the stands.

The incident took place at the end of the third quarter. When the buzzer sounded off, Morant picked up the ball and threw the ball to the other side of the court. Unfortunately for him, the ball went beyond the court, falling directly into the stands. While no injuries were reported, it's an automatic fine the moment a player throws the ball into the stands.

Some might be wondering why fine Ja Morant for something that seemed like an accident. For one, the game clock expired, which means whatever a player does with the ball is no longer a legal play. Then there's the fact that the ball Morant threw could've hurt someone in attendance. The fine serves as a disciplinary act for players to be more cautious with their actions.