Memphis Grizzlies big Jaren Jackson Jr. has been ruled out for the rest of the season. This has a massive impact on the Portland Trail Blazers playoff hopes.
Sadly, Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a torn meniscus. This news has a massive impact on the Portland Trail Blazers and the rest of the Western Conference in the race for the eight-seed.
ESPN insider Adrian Wojnarowski was first as usual with the devastating news for the twenty-year-old big man. Jackson tore his meniscus in his left knee after a bad landing in the Grizzlies game against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Grizzlies: Memphis F Jaren Jackson Jr., suffered a meniscus tear in his left knee and will miss the rest of the season.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 4, 2020
The Grizzlies were already thin in terms of depth in their squad, after exciting forward Justise Winslow was ruled out of the rest of the season before the team traveling to Orlando. Winslow had only been traded to the team at the deadline and hadn’t played a game for them yet.
Jackson’s injury has massive implications on the rest of the teams in the Western Conference playoff race. Before the Blazers game against the Houston Rockets, the Grizzlies have a two-game lead on the Blazers, and then only a three and a half-game lead down to the Sacramento Kings in 13th position.
The Kings are probably out of it already as they have lost three games on the trot, but the race is now wide open as Jackson was such an integral part of the Grizzlies rotation.
The inter-conference games such as Kings – New Orleans Pelicans are massive for the Blazers’ chances, as a win, either way, could end these respective team’s chances.
The Blazers themselves have a brutal upcoming schedule, including today’s game against the Rockets. But they only need to stay in touch with the Grizzlies to bring the play-in tournament into play. They only need to be within four games to do this.