Why does Ja Morant wear a faceguard?
Ja Morant returned to action on Wednesday (Mar. 22) night against the Houston Rockets. The Memphis Grizzlies guard came off the bench and helped his team win by five points (130-125).
Morant wore a faceguard during the game, leaving many fans wondering why. It's important to note that it has nothing to do with the suspension the 23-year-old guard. Instead, the Grizzlies superstar suffered a face injury earlier in the season.
The 6' 3" guard wore a faceguard to protect his face during the game. Coincidentally, he suffered a face injury during his previous matchup against the Rockets.
Ja Morant wore faceguard because of previous face injury
Shortly before he was suspended by the NBA, Morant played against the Rockets. The talented player had 20 points, seven rebounds and seven assists in a 14-point victory but suffered a face injury during the game.
Due to that reason, Morant wore a faceguard during the matchup against the Denver Nuggets on Mar. 3. That was the last game he played before getting suspended by the league, but it appears that he still hasn't completely recovered.
The former Rookie of the Year suffered a nasal fracture during the matchup against the Rockets. While the injury was not very serious, Morant has to protect his face to avoid getting hit again.
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The faceguard did not stop the two-time All-Star from showing off his skills and putting on an amazing show. During the first possession of the second quarter, Ja Morant threw down a poster dunk against Kenyon Martin Jr..
In 24 minutes on the floor, Morant scored 17 points on 6-for-13 shooting. He also added four rebounds, five assists, two steals and a block. The athletic guard will likely wear a faceguard for a few more games. When he had suffered the injury, coach Taylor Jenkins said that the superstar would have to wear a mask for a few weeks.
Morant returns at perfect time
With their victory over the Rockets, the Memphis Grizzlies are 45-27, 3.5 games behind the Denver Nuggets (49-24) and two games ahead of the Sacramento Kings (43-29).
Ja Morant returned at the right time and will look to help his team secure a playoff position. While it's very unlikely that the Grizzlies will dethrone the Nuggets, there is still a risk of falling to third spot.
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The Grizzlies will have another matchup against the Rockets on Friday (Mar. 24) night before heading to Atlanta to play against the Hawks two days later. They have the ninth-easiest remaining schedule of the ongoing season.