Ja Morant's injury, more troubling signs for Grizzlies in Game 1 loss to Lakers | Giannotto

Gut reactions from the Memphis Grizzlies' 128-112 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1 of their Western Conference first round playoff series Sunday at FedExForum.

Troubling signs for the Grizzlies

Ja Morant sprinted off the court, clutching his already-injured right hand in pain. The star point guard of the Grizzlies tried to leap over Lakers forward Anthony Davis with less than six minutes remaining, like he has tried to leap over so many NBA players over the years.

It was a bad decision this time. He was called for a charge. But the aftermath could be worse, and all too familiar for the Grizzlies and their fans.

After last postseason ended with Morant saddled to the bench with a knee injury, this postseason started with him unable to finish Game 1 as “Let’s Go Lakers” chants came from the rafters and a parade of fastbreak dunks provided an exclamation point.

And his re-injury, after suffering a contusion on that right hand against Milwaukee nine days ago, was only part of the story.

The Lakers have two undeniable stars in LeBron James and Davis. The Grizzlies have an indisputable big three consisting of Morant, Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr.

The assumption heading into Game 1 was that while James and Davis might be the two best players in this series – emphasis on might – the depth of Memphis would be superior, despite the injuries to Steven Adams and Brandon Clarke.

Well, that’s not how it played out Sunday.

Bane and Jackson all held up their end of the bargain (more on that in a bit), but it was the Lakers’ role players who proved to be the biggest difference makers.

Rui Hachimura had 29 points off the bench, knocking down five 3-pointers when the Grizzlies sagged off of him. De’Angelo Russell, meanwhile, added 19 points after a disastrous series against Memphis last season when he was a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Then, to close this out, it wasn’t James or Davis. It was Austin Reaves making big play after big play en route to 23 points. The Grizzlies, on the other hand, got just 24 points from their bench and very little of it came in the second half.

Memphis lost Game 1 in both of its playoff series a year ago, including a decisive defeat to Minnesota in the first round. But this felt more substantial considering all the subplots that didn't go in the Grizzlies' favor. 

Star turns for Bane and Jackson

Morant has been saying for weeks, ever since he returned from that eight-game suspension last week, that he’s not necessarily the Grizzlies’ main offensive option anymore. Instead, he insisted, that distinction belongs to Jackson and Bane.

Those words sure seemed prescient in Game 1.

Jackson and Bane led the Memphis charge, navigating a less-than-ideal start that saw the Grizzlies fall behind early.

Jackson feasted inside, aggressively taking advantage of James in the post en route to 19 first-half points that felt especially stabilizing when the Lakers took an early lead. Perhaps more importantly, he stayed out of foul trouble.

So in the fourth quarter, once Morant left the game, it was Jackson who took control again. After the Lakers grabbed a 108-101 advantage, he scored either of the Grizzlies' next 11 points to keep Memphis within striking distance for a time. He finished with 31 points for the game.

Bane, meanwhile, was hitting 3-pointers like he often does. But as Jackson cooled after halftime, Bane also demonstrated his increasingly effective skill-set facilitating and penetrating into the lane. He led the Grizzlies in assists and it seemed whenever Memphis needed a bucket to keep pace with the Lakers, there was Bane or Jackson providing one.

Anthony Davis looms large

Everything the Grizzlies feared about facing Davis seemed to be coming true to start Game 1.

He was dominating the offensive glass. He was stonewalling Morant at the rim. He was the best player on the floor for large stretches of the game, the absences of Adams and Clarke glaringly apparent as soon as Xavier Tillman Sr. picked up two quick fouls.

Davis finished the first half with 10 points, six rebounds and five blocks. But finished is a relative term in this case, since he finished the second quarter in the locker room.

Davis suffered a right arm injury at the end of the second quarter and was even caught on camera saying, “I can’t move my arm.” He returned after halftime, with ESPN reporting the ailment as a “nerve stinger” in his shoulder.

The important caveat, of course, is that he didn’t seem affected much by what happened. He finished with 22 points, 12 rebounds and 7 blocks.

But the whole episode underscored how much trouble Davis has had staying healthy over the years, and how vital his presence on the floor is for Los Angeles in this matchup. The Lakers finished a staggering +27 with him in the game.

His ability to stay on the court, and play big minutes, could very well decide the fate of this series because, when healthy, the Grizzlies don’t have much of an answer for him.

You can reach Commercial Appeal columnist Mark Giannotto via email at mgiannotto@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter: @mgiannotto

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Ja Morant's injury, troubling signs for Grizzlies in loss to Lakers