As much as the locker-room gods might panic about Ja Morant ’s presence, half expecting another storm to break out between him and the coaching staff, they also know the Grizzlies don’t breathe the same without him. But tonight, the room isn’t dealing with drama. It’s watching Morant bent over in pain, wincing as he grabs his right calf. And with that, Memphis had no choice but to shut him down for the rest of the matchup against the fourth-seeded Cavaliers.

What started as a routine Grizzlies- Cavaliers matchup flipped the moment the clock showed 6:01 in the first. Ja Morant , who’d just shaken off a two-game absence, suddenly pulled up with noticeable discomfort in his right calf. Memphis was actually up 17–14 when Morant headed straight to the locker room, and minutes later

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