Grizzlies' Ja Morant Talks 'Difficult' Ankle Injury After NBA Play-In Win vs. Mavs

Ja Morant was able to smile through the pain of a sprained ankle after the Memphis Grizzlies earned the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference playoffs with a 120-106 win over the Dallas Mavericks in the play-in tournament on Friday night.

Speaking to reporters after the victory, Morant called this ankle injury "more difficult" than others due to the high-pressure nature of playing in a win-or-go-home game two days after it occured:

"Obviously, regular-season games, it's not win or go home. So, this one was way more difficult—the whole process, like, learning what I would have to do to be able to get out there. I was kind of questioning it, but with our staff, the doctors, they gave me all the info I needed and [in the] simplest terms so I will understand. From that point, it was pretty much easy. I wanted to be on the floor. I wanted to play this game and get the win."

Morant rolled his ankle late in the third quarter when he landed on Buddy Hield's foot coming down on a shot attempt in Memphis' loss to the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night. He was able to return in the fourth quarter, but his status going forward was uncertain.

The Grizzlies held Morant out of Thursday's practice and officially listed him as a game-time decision against the Mavs. He was able to suit up for tipoff, though it remained to be seen how effective he would be.

It wasn't Morant's best game, as he shot just 7-of-24 from the field. The two-time All-Star was able to play 33 minutes, dishing out nine assists, grabbing seven rebounds and recording three steals.

Morant, who received a pain-killing injection for the injury, said after the game he would leave any decisions about more injections going forward to the medical staff.

"That's a question for somebody else. I'm going to be out there regardless," Morant said.

There's not much time for Morant to rest his ankle before getting back on the court. The Grizzlies will play Game 1 of their first-round series against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.