By: Justin Gincauskas

The Grizzlies continue to get hit with the injury bug this season, as Memphis’ Desmond Bane will miss a minimum of six weeks with an ankle injury, the team announced Sunday.

Bane suffered a Grade 3 left ankle sprain in the third quarter of Friday’s 128-119 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. In a statement, the Grizzlies said that Bane will be re-evaluated in six weeks. Bane had 15 points and three assists in 22 minutes before the ankle injury.

Other Players Out For The Grizzlies

Memphis continues to lose its key players to injuries this season. Center Steven Adams and star point guard Ja Morant are already out for the remainder of the season. Adams had knee surgery on his right knee and will not play at all in 2023-24. Morant, who came back from a 25-game suspension earlier in the year, suffered a labral tear in his right shoulder that required season-ending surgery.

The team is also without Marcus Smart. Smart suffered an injury to his right ring finger that will keep him sidelined for approximately six weeks. The injury occurred in Tuesday’s 120-103 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.

Bane, 25, is having the best season of his career. He is averaging 24.4 points and 5.3 assists per game in 2023-24, which would be career highs if he can sustain that for the rest of the season. In 239 career games, Bane is averaging 17.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game.

With the suspension of Morant to open up the season and all the injuries to their starters, the Grizzlies find themselves near the bottom of the standings. They currently have a record of 14-25 and sit 5.5 games back of the Houston Rockets for the 10th seed in the Western Conference.

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