Is Ja Morant playing today against Dallas Mavericks? Latest on Grizzlies superstar's availability for Emirates NBA Cup game (Dec. 3)
The Emirates NBA Cup will return to American Airlines Center on Tuesday as the Dallas Mavericks host the Memphis Grizzlies in what is one of the key matchups of the final group stage. Ja Morant, who has been a frequent name on the injury report this season, is surprisingly not listed ahead of the matchup.
Morant has been dealing with right hip subluxation and pelvic muscle strains and has missed 11 of the Grizzlies' 21 games this season. He returned to the starting lineup against Portland on Nov. 25.
He missed the following game against the Detroit Pistons but has since played the last two games, marking one of the first back-to-back games he played this season. He is expected to be part of the starting lineup for Tuesday’s crucial game.
Ja Morant set to break two-year drought against the Mavericks
Another intriguing layer is that if Ja Morant suits up on Tuesday, it will mark the first time he faces the Mavericks in a regular season game since Oct. 22, 2022.
Morant has missed the last seven matchups. He hasn't played against Dallas with Kyrie Irving.
It's been a whirlwind journey for two-time All-Star over the past two years. Everyone knows what he has gone through, from suspension to subsequent season-ending injuries, but his return to court has been a joy to watch.
He is averaging 22.4 points, 9.0 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game this season.
Ja Morant’s stats vs Dallas Mavericks
Ja Morant has only played eight games against the Mavericks, winning just two. In those games, he averaged 21.1 points, 4.9 rebounds and 6.4 assists. His highest-scoring game was 27 points in 2022.
This will be the first game of the season between the two teams. Last year, they split the series 2-2. But on Tuesday, the two teams find themselves in similar form, with the Mavericks winning four of their last five games and Memphis winning eight of their last nine.
What to expect Memphis Grizzlies vs Dallas Mavericks?
The Mavs will be hoping to continue their resurgence in front of a full-capacity home crowd as a win on Tuesday would almost secure them a spot in the next round, but a loss would leave them in a tiebreaker situation.
Meanwhile, the Grizzlies are last in their group and need a big win and some help from other teams to land a wildcard spot.
It’s safe to expect a winning result, although history tells us that is for the Mavs more often than not.