Depleted Grizzlies piece together lineup for matchup vs. Jazz
For the Memphis Grizzlies, the impact of repeated injuries is taking its toll on the team's season.
The Grizzlies have dropped three of their past five games, including a 119-103 loss Monday night at Oklahoma City, and will head to Salt Lake City to face the Utah Jazz on Tuesday night.
Memphis was on the verge of reaching the .500 mark for the first time since late October but lost a disappointing game Saturday at home to the struggling Washington Wizards. The Grizzlies fell despite holding a 20-point lead late in the first half.
They just can't shake the injury bug that has affected the franchise for the past few seasons.
Star guard Ja Morant sat out Monday against the Thunder with a sprained left ankle -- his third consecutive missed game. He has missed more than half of the team's 29 games with various injuries in 2025-26.
Starting center Zach Edey missed the start of the season while recovering from offseason ankle surgery. He returned, only to be sidelined again after 11 games with a left ankle stress reaction. He was averaging 13.6 points, 11.1 rebounds and almost two blocks per game and is expected to be re-evaluated in mid-January.
Key reserve Brandon Clarke returned from a knee injury that sidelined him for the first 26 games of the season, but he asted only a few games. He suffered a right calf strain in the first quarter of his second game back Saturday against Washington and did not return. The Grizzlies announced Monday that Clarke will be re-evaluated in three weeks.
The Grizzlies had eight players out against Oklahoma City.
Memphis coach Tuomas Iisalo said he understands the challenges he's facing with a depleted roster and is trying to manage a difficult situation.
"I'm just trying to be very practical and trying to find ways to give us the best chance to win," he said. "Whatever we come up with, it has to be based on practicality. You could do different stuff, but that means then you haven't maybe practiced it as much. You're giving up some and maybe not being in sync. In the situation we're in, obviously, we will have to do some things or play players in situations that they haven't been in."
In Memphis' loss to the Thunder on Monday, the Grizzlies had to start reserves Jock Landale and Cam Spencer, who played a team-high 35 minutes. Spencer was making his third start of the season. He finished with 14 points and eight assists. Landale had 11 points and 10 boards in 26 minutes.
The Jazz also fell in lopsided fashion Monday, 135-112 on the road to the Denver Nuggets. Utah, which has lost three straight games, will play its third game in four days.
The Jazz got 27 points from Lauri Markkanen and 20 from Keyonte George in the loss. George, who had a career-high 39 points in the team's 130-126 win at Memphis on Dec. 12, is in the midst of a career season.
"I think I'm attacking the rim at the right moments," he said. "If I see five (defenders) drop back ... I'm going to get to the rim."
Despite George's good night, the Jazz didn't have much chance after the Nuggets went on a 19-0 run to start the game and outscored them 40-15 in the first quarter.
After the game, Utah coach Will Hardy challenged his starters.
"There's a responsibility as a starter, and it comes with a territory of, like, you got to be ready to go," Hardy said. "I'm never going to be the coach that yells, ‘Make a shot!' But it's part of the business -- you've got to stand and deliver. The things that we can control are the personnel recognition and the transition defense."