Ja Morant’s first face-off against his former team lasted just 23 minutes. That’s hardly how Portland would have wanted his first reunion with Memphis to go. The Grizzlies walked into Moda Center on Thursday and handed the Trail Blazers their first loss of the 2026-27 season. But the loss wasn’t the only setback Portland had to deal with that night, as another concern emerged involving its new guard.
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Facing the Grizzlies for the first time since his offseason trade, Ja Morant saw his night cut short midway through the fourth quarter by a left hamstring injury as Portland fell 124–103 at home.
Morant, who had spent the first seven seasons of his career in Memphis after being selected No. 2 overall in the 2019 NBA Draft, left the floor with 7:46 remaining. He was ruled out for the remainder of the game shortly after.
The 27-year-old guard finished with 14 points, 2 rebounds, and 3 assists on 6-of-14 shooting in 23 minutes of action.
No exact sequence was pinpointed that caused the injury. Addressing Ja’s status postgame, Blazers head coach Micah Nori explained that Morant felt discomfort on the floor while the team attempted to manage his exit.
“He felt a twinge, and then I was trying to take a foul to get him out,” Nori told reporters. “And we were forcing turnovers, so we had to make a few more runs than what I’d wanted him to.”
Speaking about the potential severity of the injury, Nori deferred until the medical staff completes full evaluations.
“But I think it was just more of a twinge. We’re gonna evaluate him now and then probably have more answers for you tomorrow after they look at him. This is the first time I’ve been around him when he’s had something, he’s felt something, so he just said that his hammy, he felt like a little twinge… there’s always a concern, but I’m hoping that it’s nothing major obviously.”
Earlier in the week, Morant had attempted to downplay the emotional weight of playing against his former squad, calling it “just another basketball game on the schedule” and adding that there was “nothing harsh from me for Memphis.” However, the game proved harsh on the scoreboard and in the trainer’s room.
He did give his former teammates a warm welcome to Portland, though. While his choice of warm-up music, “Cross me” by YoungBoy Never Broke Again, raised eyebrows, he was seen interacting amicably with Grizzlies players.
His interaction with his former ‘rookie’ Cedric Coward nearly had fans in tears. Until the game began and Ja scored on Coward, then proceeded to point at him and declare, “That n**** food.”
The matchup was closely contested through the first two quarters, but the Grizzlies took complete control in the second half, outscoring Portland 66–45. Memphis blew the game open behind a standout performance from their star rookie.
Cam Boozer, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, led Memphis with his first career triple-double, recording 18 points, 12 rebounds, and 12 assists. Isaiah Stewart added 18 points in 16 minutes, helping the revamped Grizzlies improve to an unexpected 5–0 start to the season.
For the Trail Blazers, Deni Avdija carried the offensive load with a game-high 24 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists.
However, Portland struggled significantly from beyond the arc, shooting just 12-of-49 (24%) as a team. Damian Lillard endured a tough shooting night, managing just 9 points across 30 minutes on 3-of-13 shooting from the field.
After Morant left the game, Portland suffered its first defeat of the campaign and now stands 3-1. But the primary concern moving forward remains Morant’s health. After being traded to Portland over the summer in exchange for Jerami Grant and Kris Murray, Morant started his tenure with the Blazers strong, averaging 16.3 points and 6.3 assists over his first three games.
With the Blazers kicking off a four-game road trip against the Utah Jazz on Saturday, Morant’s availability remains uncertain pending further evaluation of his left hamstring.