The Clippers got an essential 94-86 win on Saturday against a Grizzlies team missing Mike Conley (sprained right foot) and Tony Allen (strained left hamstring). But the big news was All-Star center Marc Gasol and his left ankle sprain.
In the first quarter, while blocking Blake Griffin on a drive into the paint, Gasol landed on the foot of a teammate and wrenched his left ankle.
At first, it appeared he’d re-tape the ankle and re-enter.
Update- Marc Gasol is getting his ankle re-taped and will return for @memgrizz
— Rob Fischer (@thefishnation) April 12, 2015
But he shut it down at halftime, and even coach Dave Joerger was in the dark on a possible prognosis.
Memphis coach Dave Joerger had no update on status of Marc Gasol, who left game w/sprained ankle
— J.A. Adande (@jadande) April 12, 2015
But the X-rays proved negative, by way of ESPN, comes an uncertain future for a Grizzlies team literally and figuratively limping into the playoffs:
A Grizzlies spokesman said X-rays taken on the ankle were negative.
Gasol wore a protective walking boot on his left foot as he departed Staples Center. When asked if he would be available to play in the Grizzlies’ next game at the Golden State Warriors on Monday night, he smiled and said, “If possible, I will get myself ready to play.”
Sprained ankles can sometimes prove more meddlesome than a clean break, or a fracture. The ligaments are stretched and Gasol will be tender for a couple days and at risk to re-injure the next time he takes the court. That injury forecast falls right in line with a banged up Memphis squad with four players nursing injuries as we come up on the final week before the playoffs.
Conley, Gasol and Jeff Green are all questionable against Golden State tomorrow night and Tony Allen will be out at least until the end of the regular season with a persistent hamstring issue.
Thankfully for Memphis, they hold the tiebreaker over the Clippers and remain the No. 2 seed despite the loss pulling them even with LA and San Antonio at 54-26. But Brian Windhorst says Gasol is out indefinitely, and the fact he tried to re-tape and couldn’t come back on the floor for a big game against a playoff rival is a bad sign for his long-term health when the playoffs do roll around and everyone suits up despite the pain.
Three of Memphis’ top guys are day-to-day and they could be a No. 2 seed, or they could slip to play the Spurs in the first round without home-court advantage. The fact they’re playing in Golden State tomorrow isn’t a good sign either, since the Dubs have only lost two games in Oracle this season.
X-rays were negative, but the Grizzlies aren’t going into the playoffs at full health or playing very well (they’re .500 over their last 10).
