Kristaps Porzingis of the Boston Celtics is not the only prominent NBA player who is about to get back on the floor. According to multiple reports on Monday, Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant is on the verge of returning, as are Dejounte Murray and CJ McCollum of the New Orleans Pelicans and Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal of the Phoenix Suns.
Morant, who has missed Memphis’ last eight games due to a right hip subluxation and pelvic muscle strain, will be in the lineup on Monday against the Portland Trail Blazers, according to Chris Haynes. The Grizzlies are 5-4 without Morant on the season, in part because of the emergence of guard Scotty Pippen Jr., who put up 30 points (on 13-for-16 shooting) and 10 assists in a 142-131 win against the Chicago Bulls on Saturday.
At 10-7 overall, Memphis is seventh in the West. Morant is officially listed as questionable against the Blazers as of Monday afternoon.
Murray, who broke his left hand in the Pelicans’ season opener, will miss his 17th straight game when they visit the Indiana Pacers on Monday. He will be in the lineup, though, when they host the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday, per Haynes. After starting the season with two consecutive wins, New Orleans has lost 13 of its last 15 games.
At 4-13, the extremely banged-up Pelicans are dead last in the West. Before Murray comes back, they could get a boost in the backcourt from McCollum, who was upgraded to probable for the Pacers game. McCollum has missed New Orleans’ last 13 games due to a strained right adductor. Star forward Zion Williamson (strained left hamstring), wing Herb Jones (strained right shoulder) and guard Jose Alvarado (strained left hamstring) remain out, and forward Brandon Ingram (sore right calf) is listed as questionable against Indiana.
Durant strained his left calf on Nov. 8 against the Dallas Mavericks, and Beal suffered the same injury on Nov. 12 against the Utah Jazz. Both are expected to play on Tuesday against the Los Angeles Lakers. Suns coach Mike Budenholzer said Monday, via the Arizona Republic’s Duane Rankin.
Phoenix started the season 8-1, but it has gone 1-6 without Durant and 0-5 without both him and Beal.
At 9-7, the Suns are eighth in the West. Phoenix hasn’t played a game since last Wednesday, and it has officially listed both Durant and Beal as probable for the Lakers game.
“Bringing that extra firepower back to the team is going to help us a lot,” forward Ryan Dunn said, via the Arizona Republic.