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Jaren Jackson Jr. Suffers Injury in Grizzlies-Hawks
Mar 1, 2025; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. (13) reacts during the third quarter against the San Antonio Spurs at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

The Memphis Grizzlies have lost five of their last seven games to fall to fourth place in the Western Conference with a 38-22 record, heading into a big cross-conference matchup with the Atlanta Hawks on Monday.

Memphis is playing without star point guard Ja Morant on Monday, and things managed to get worse. Already playing shorthanded, the Grizzlies suffered another significant injury.

Just two minutes into Monday's game against the Hawks, Grizzlies All-Star forward Jaren Jackson Jr. suffered an ankle injury and never returned to the game.

Jackson Jr. finished his night with zeros across the board, as fans wait to hear any injury update for their star big man going forward. The Grizzlies ultimately lost to the Hawks 132-130 due to a Caris LeVert game-winning layup, but things would have likely been much different if Memphis had not missed their two stars.

In the absence of Morant and Jackson Jr., standout guard Desmond Bane led the way with 35 points and 10 assists, but it is hard to win a game without their top two players on the court.

Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Jackson Jr., the 2022-23 NBA Defensive Player of the Year winner, is averaging 23.1 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 1.7 blocks per game this season with 49.7/36.5/77.2 shooting splits. Jackson Jr. has been the heart of Memphis' defense for years and continues to become more valuable as he sharpens his offensive skillset.

The Grizzlies cannot afford to have Jackson Jr. sidelined for too long, and fans are likely desperate for an update on his apparent ankle injury.

This article first appeared on Memphis Grizzlies on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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