After a disappointing loss on Wednesday to the Portland Trail Blazers, the Memphis Grizzlies are back at it Thursday as they look to bounce back against a tough Cleveland Cavaliers team. As we know, Steven Adams is already sidelined with a knee injury, leaving the Grizzlies' frontcourt depth relatively thin. That raises the question, is Jaren Jackson Jr playing tonight vs. the Cavs?
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Jaren Jackson Jr injury status vs Cavs
Jackson did play against Portland but it has now been confirmed that won't be the case here. As reported by Dylan Cunningham, the big man is dealing with right thigh soreness, and was initially listed as doubtful. However, JJJ was eventually ruled out an hour before tipoff.
After all, this is the tail end of a back-to-back. But, it feels safe to assume he suffered a minor knock in the loss to the Blazers and simply needs the night off. That's not exactly good news for Memphis though, especially with Cleveland's Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen both expected to suit up. The battle on the boards should undoubtedly be in favor of the Cavs, especially since Adams isn't available, either.
In 35 outings in 2022-23, Jaren Jackson Jr is averaging 16.5 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 3.3 blocks per night while shooting 36% from deep. He's played a key part in the Grizzlies' success. JJJ is one of the best shot-stoppers in the Association and will be missed in this contest.
In his place, expect the likes of Sandy Aldama, David Roddy, and Ziaire Williams to see more minutes. Memphis will also need Ja Morant and Desmond Bane to carry most of the offensive load. So to answer the question, is Jaren Jackson Jr playing vs Cavs? No.
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