The Memphis Grizzlies came into Wednesday’s game against the Boston Celtics looking to snap a two-game losing streak. Not only did the Grizzlies not do that, falling to the Celtics by a score of 131-95, but they suffered a potential blow on the injury front regarding veteran guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, as per ClutchPoints’ NBA insider Brett Siegel.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope left the Grizzlies’ game against the Celtics early due to an apparent elbow injury. He finished the night with three rebounds, three assists and one steal in 19 minutes while shooting 0-of-3 from the field.
Caldwell-Pope was acquired by the Grizzlies in the offseason via trade in the same deal that sent Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic. Since joining the Grizzlies, Caldwell-Pope has slotted in as the team’s starting shooting guard.
Coming into Wednesday’s game, he had appeared in all 12 games for the Grizzlies at a little over 23 minutes per game. He had been averaging 8.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists with splits of 36.2 percent shooting from the field, 31.8 percent shooting from the three-point line and 88.5 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
The No. 8 overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, Caldwell-Pope has been regarded as one of the best role players and better perimeter defenders in the NBA. He was a key player on two championship teams, first with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020, and then with the Denver Nuggets in 2023. He began his career with the Detroit Pistons, and also had a stint with the Washington Wizards.
The Grizzlies’ injury issues have been well-documented this season. The team is currently without several key players in Zach Edey, Brandon Clarke, Ty Jerome and Scotty Pippen Jr.
