The Memphis Grizzlies are quickly running out of time

The Memphis Grizzlies won't get Ja Morant back for four weeks. It might be too late to save their season.

The Grizzlies have gone 3-13 without their young star, who is serving a 25-game suspension for showing a firearm on social media. Without him, Memphis has started the season very slowly, scoring the second-fewest points in the league so far, only outscoring the rebuilding Portland Trail Blazers. The Grizz have also gone from the No. 2 defense in the NBA to 17th.

Even if Morant gets back and the Grizzlies go back to last year’ win pace — a tough order with center Steven Adams out for the season — they’ve dug a big hole. Based on last season’s 51-31 record, they’d expect to go 35-22 with Morant back the rest of the way.

Last year it took 40 wins to reach the play-in tournament. Even with the most generous projections, Memphis is going to have to win a few games before Morant’s return.

Sunday, the frustration of losing got to be too much for Marcus Smart, who has made the playoffs in all nine seasons of his NBA career heading into this year. He laid in to teammates during the Grizzlies' 119-97 loss to the Timberwolves.