SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Physical basketball plays are suddenly coming into question with emotions at an all-time high during these playoffs: So, what becomes too much on the big stage when stars hit the floor hard or get hurt?
Golden State guard Gary Payton II went down and is sidelined indefinitely with a broken left elbow after Dillon Brooks clobbered him over the head on a fast break layup attempt last week in Memphis.
Ja Morant injured his right knee again during the Grizzlies’ 142-112 Game 3 loss on Saturday night that gave the Warriors a 2-1 advantage in the best-of-seven Western Conference semifinals. Morant took to Twitter to express his disgust that Jordan Poole “broke the code” by grabbing his knee — then the Grizzlies guard promptly deleted his post. Poole said he was simply trying to get the ball.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr had said Brooks, suspended for Game 3 for a Flagrant 2 foul on Payton, had broken an NBA code when he sent Payton to the ground, thus Morant’s use of the phrase.
Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said Sunday he doesn’t expect Morant to play Monday night in Game 4.
“As I said last night, just trying to be matter of fact here, and this is what Ja says, what our medical team has said after reviewing the play, Ja was playing great, feeling great all game and that the grab of the knee is what triggered the potential injury and why we took Ja out of the game. Nothing’s changed from there,” Jenkins said. “That’s the play that triggered this and he’s got further evaluation going on. … There’s probably a really good chance he doesn’t play tomorrow.”
Morant, who limped off with 6:19 remaining in the game, was unable to do any basketball activity Sunday, Jenkins said.
Kerr shrugged several times when asked about the play Sunday and said he saw no need to discuss the latest back-and-forth between the franchises.
“I don’t have a take. Nothing to comment on. I watched the tape,” Kerr said. “… No, I don’t take it…