MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Gist don dey go round as Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant fitness go determine how e go play against the Dallas Mavericks for dem NBA play-in game tonight.
Morant miss practice yesterday because of di right ankle injury wey make am limping after him dey play against di Golden State Warriors on Tuesday, where he score 22 points before he come off di court with 4:25 left for di third quarter. Di Grizzlies coach Tuomas Iisalo talk say dem no go sure about Morant’s fitness until few hours before di game.
“My feel with him be say he go do everything to play,” Iisalo talk. “If e fit play, he go play. This one na legit game-time decision.”
Morant, who don average 23.2 points, 7.3 assists, and 4.1 rebounds for di season so far, fit play important role if Grizzlies wan secure dem No. 8 seed for di Western Conference playoffs and face Oklahoma City Thunder.
If Morant no fit play, e go affect di Grizzlies’ offense, wey dey rely heavily on am for scoring. Throughout di season, Memphis don go 18-14 when Morant no dey in di lineup, showing how important e be to di team.
For di other side, di Mavericks don show good form, especially after dem defeat di Sacramento Kings 120-106 for di last game. With Anthony Davis and Klay Thompson stepping up, dem achieve crucial wins dem go need tonight too.
“If we perform like we do for di last game, we go get chance to win,” Davies talk, wey finish di game with 27 points and 9 rebounds, plus three blocks. Thompson also contribute with 23 points and a high shooting percentage from di three-point line.
Brandon Williams, wey score 17 points against di Kings, go need to keep him form strong against Memphis to support di team. Williams don dey perform well, scoring 14 or more points for three out of di last five games, even with di strain wey make am sit out for one game before.
As di Mavericks aim to continue dem playoff dreams, dem strategize to take advantage of any injuries for di Grizzlies, especially if Morant no fit make am. Di NBA playoffs dey hinge on tiny margins, and any advantage na key to success.
“If Morant no dey play, e go calm down di pressure for our defense,” one insider talk. “E fit give us chance to focus on other elements of Memphis offense, something we don struggle with sometimes.”
As dem dey prepare for tonight’s battle, di pressure dey mount for both teams, but di stakes dey high — di winner of dis game go step into di playoffs while di loser season go end. Di b-ball fans dey eagerly dey look forward to di action as di hopes of history dey in di air.
