The Memphis Grizzlies will return to action tonight, less than 24 hours after suffering a 117-104 defeat in Toronto. Tonight, they’ll be hosting the Detroit Pistons at the FedExForum Arena in Memphis, TN. Although the focus should be on this high-intensity cross-conference showdown, that might not be the case. That’s because all their eyes will be on Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant, who’ll be returning after serving a one-game suspension. But the question is: Will he play tonight?

Is Ja Morant playing tonight against the Pistons?

After Morant responded to the coaching staff’s criticism in an “inappropriate and dismissive way,” they suspended him for one game. Even though he served that suspension last night when his team faced the Toronto Raptors, there are a lot of questions around his availability tonight. So, what’s the latest update? By the looks of things, it seems like the 26-year-old guard will return to his team ahead of tonight’s matchup. This indicates that Ja Morant should take the court tonight against the Pistons.

However, given his seemingly deteriorating relationships with first-year head coach Tuomas Iisalo, it’s hard to tell whether he’ll start tonight or not. Nonetheless, given it’s a huge game for the Grizzlies, who have now suffered back-to-back losses, taking their season record to 3-4, playing Morant should be the best way forward for the franchise, at least for now. That’s because, despite a shaky start to the campaign, the two-time NBA All-Star is the team’s leader in scoring as well as assisting.

In the six games he’s played this season, Ja Morant has been averaging 20.8 points along with 6.7 assists, and 3.3 rebounds per game. So, even though his actions off the court haven’t been the best, not to mention his poor three-point shooting as well, Morant remains Memphis’ focal point. Nonetheless, now that we know about the Grizzlies’ point guard’s status for tonight’s clash, why don’t we take a look at the rest of the players from both sides competing tonight?

Grizzlies vs Pistons injury reports before tonight’s game

While Ja Morant is back in the mix for Memphis tonight, they’ll still be without several of their key players against Detroit. This will include the likes of Scotty Pippen Jr. and Zach Edey. While Pippen Jr. has recently undergone a procedure that’ll keep him on the sidelines for at least 12 weeks, Edey has been cleared for basketball activities and is expected to return to play in the next 6 to 9 weeks. Both of these injuries are huge blows for the Grizzlies, especially Pippen Jr.’s injury.

That’s because last season, the 24-year-old emerged as a great backup option for the team right behind Ja Morant. However, this season he hasn’t had the chance to showcase that. Nonetheless, these two aren’t the only players who will miss tonight’s game, as Memphis also has other absences to worry about. Brandon Clarke’s absence is one of them. The 29-year-old forward has undergone a procedure to address his knee synovitis issue and will be re-evaluated in about six weeks.

Lastly, Ty Jerome is also out for this game after he recently suffered a calf injury. While that’s all from the Grizzlies side, what about the Pistons? Well, things aren’t too good on that side as well. That’s because Detroit also has its fair share of injury trouble. Tonight, they will be without two of their guards– Marcus Sasser and Jaden Ivey due to injuries. On one hand, Sasser has suffered a hip injury. On the other hand, Ivey has undergone surgery to relieve discomfort in his right knee.

While both of these injuries will hurt Detroit as it aims for its third straight win tonight, none will be as big as Tobias Harris’ absence. The veteran forward is doubtful for tonight’s game due to an ankle issue. If he doesn’t play, it will be a huge blow for his team, as so far, Harris has been a solid player for his team. The forward has been averaging 13.5 points along with 6 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. So a lot will depend on his fitness. Nonetheless, what if he doesn’t play? Will we see a change in the lineup?

Grizzlies vs Pistons predicted lineups for tonight

Both teams are severely inflicted by injuries, so we could expect a few changes in both lineups.

So, here’s how the Memphis Grizzlies could start:

So, here’s how the Detroit Pistons could start:

So, the stage is set for this huge clash, but where can you watch it live?

When and where to watch the Grizzlies vs the Pistons game

This is all you need to know about tonight’s clash as Memphis looks to snap its two-game losing streak.

Game preview and Prediction

So, both teams are entering this in polar opposite situations. While the Pistons are coming off back-to-back wins, the Grizzlies have suffered two straight losses. Although they will have Ja Morant back in the mix, Memphis doesn’t look like the favorite to win this game. We think that it might be the Pistons who will grab their third straight win tonight in Memphis, as we eagerly await the tip-off.