Ja Morant's status for potential elimination game remains unclear

The Memphis Grizzlies are down 0-3 in their first-round matchup against the No.1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder and will now be without their star point guard for Game 4.

According to ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania, Ja Morant will miss Game 4 with a hip injury.

However, according to the Associated Press (h/t Fox Sports), Grizzlies interim head coach Tuomas Iisalo did not confirm that report. "They're still examining him," Iisalo said. 

Grizzlies teammate Desmond Bane's comments had a similar theme. "I haven't heard anything about Ja missing the game," Bane said.

Morant exited Game 3 of their 114-108 loss after falling awkwardly to the ground early in the second quarter while attempting a dunk. Thunder swingman Luguentz Dort contested the play, causing him to fall hard.

Morant was able to attempt free throws before heading to the locker room, but he was ruled out for the rest of the game. He was later seen on crutches, according to ESPN's Tim MacMahon.

If Morant indeed misses the game, it would be a big blow for the Grizzlies, who are facing a must-win situation against one of the league's top teams. Many had already counted the Grizzlies out, especially after their 51-point loss in Game 1.

Still, the Grizzlies showed signs of life, holding on to a 26-point lead going into halftime. However, the Thunder stormed back in the second half to complete the comeback and take a commanding 3-0 lead in the series.

The Grizzlies lacked offensive firepower down the stretch without Morant, and it showed.

When healthy, Morant is a game-changer. He averaged 23.2 points and 7.3 assists in the regular season and is arguably one of the league's biggest and brightest stars. But injuries have limited his availability. He missed 32 games this season, and the Grizzlies went 18-14 without him.

If Morant is sidelined, the Grizzlies will need to lean on their other top stars if they want to steal one at home. Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. have both stepped up when Morant was out in the past.

Scottie Pippen Jr. was also a bright spot during Game 3, dropping 28 points. He has shown he can be a major contributor throughout the regular season. If the Grizzlies want to stay alive, they'll need that kind of production again.