When Ja Morant went down with a knee injury against the Atlanta Hawks, the basketball world collectively held their breath. Fans have been fearing for the Grizzlies star's health because of his high-flying tendencies. Luckily, Morant only ended up with a knee sprain, but it then put another question in the minds of fans.

Can the Memphis Grizzlies hold their own without Ja Morant?

In just three years, Morant has proven himself to be the future of the Grizzlies franchise. Memphis is now his team. Without him, can Morant's teammates step up and keep the team afloat in his absence?

After the Grizzlies' total domination of the Los Angeles Lakers, I think it's fair to say that the answer to that question is a resounding yes. Facing a supposed title contender, the team showed what they're made of, cruising to a 108 – 95 win. It featured multiple standout performances, including a 23-point bomb from sophomore Desmond Bane.

If you're thinking that this is a fluke performance from the Grizzlies, think again. Since Morant's injury on November 27th, Memphis has won six of their last seven games, including tonight's win over the Lakers. This includes blowout victories over Sacramento, Oklahoma City (in record-setting fashion, no less), and Miami. (via ESPN)

Does this mean the team is better off without Ja Morant? No, not really. Prior to this seven-game stretch, the Grizzlies were 6 – 9 without their star point guard (they now stand at 12 – 10). It's more likely that the team as a whole has grown to the point where they can produce good performances even without Morant leading them.

The bulk of the Grizzlies workload went to three relatively young Grizzlies players. Dillon Brooks has been up-and-down in his four-year stint in the NBA, but he's stepped up remarkably in Morant's absence. Jaren Jackson Jr. has finally put it all together in his third year. And Desmond Bane, after a meh rookie season, has upped his performance along with his usage rate. The result? Memphis is still holding on to the fourth seed even with Morant out for the last few weeks.

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The Grizzlies will have a pleasant problem on their hands when Ja Morant returns from his injury and stint in the health and safety protocols. With many of their role players stepping up in Ja's stead, how will they adjust to having their star back in the fold. Only good answers will come from this problem.

The future is bright for Memphis. When Ja Morant returns, this team will shine even brighter.