Morant to sit vs. OKC on Sunday due to AC sprain

Memphis Grizzlies superstar Ja Morant will miss Sunday night’s matchup of the top two teams in Western Conference standings due to an AC joint sprain in his right shoulder, the team announced.

The Grizzlies did not announce a timetable for Morant’s recovery beyond the road game against the West-leading Oklahoma City Thunder.

Morant had season-ending surgery in January to repair a labral tear in his right shoulder. He was cleared for basketball activities in July and has averaged 21.2 points and 7.9 assists per game for the 22-10 Grizzlies.

Morant, a two-time All-Star, suffered the AC joint sprain when he crashed into a hard screen set by New Orleans center Daniel Theis during the Grizzlies’ win over the Pelicans on Friday night. The collision caused Morant to fall to the floor and was originally ruled an offensive foul, but the call was overturned via replay review after the Pelicans challenged.

Sunday will mark the 13th game missed this season by Morant due to a variety of injuries, putting him in jeopardy of falling short of the league’s 65-game minimum required to be eligible for All-NBA consideration and other major awards. The Grizzlies have gone 8-4 without Morant this season.

The Grizzlies also announced injury updates for a couple of key reserves, guard Marcus Smart and forward Santi Aldama.

Smart has been diagnosed with a partial tear of the proximal extensor hood of his right index finger, an injury he sustained in a Dec. 21 over the Atlanta Hawks. He will be re-evaluated in two weeks.

Aldama is considered week-to-week after suffering a left ankle sprain in the Dec. 26 win over the Toronto Raptors.