Ja Morant out for Grizzlies vs Pistons game minutes after being listed as a starter

Ja Morant was downgraded to out with an illness about half an hour before the Grizzlies tipped off against the Pistons on Saturday.

Morant was announced as one of the Grizzlies’ starters, but the team posted on X shortly after that Morant had been downgraded to questionable with an illness. It wasn’t immediately clear what had changed or what illness he was dealing with. The team later posted that Morant had been downgraded to out.

“He experienced symptoms of food poisoning just before the game,” Grizzlies play-by-plan man Pete Pranica said on the FanDuel Sports Network broadcast just before tip-off.

Vince Williams Jr. had previously been listed as out with an illness. Scotty Pippen Jr. will start in Morant’s place.

Morant has been in and out of the lineup as he’s battled injuries all season, but he played four straight games before Saturday. He hit a buzzer-beater on Tuesday night in Miami to snap a three-game losing streak for the Grizzlies.

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Memphis has only five games left in the regular season and is battling to stay out of the NBA Play-In. After Saturday’s game against the Pistons, the Grizzlies will play the Hornets on Tuesday to conclude a three-game road trip.

Reach sports writer Jonah Dylan at [email protected] or on X @thejonahdylan.

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