The Memphis Grizzlies will get some reinforcements back ahead of their preseason finale on Friday against the Miami Heat .
Grizzlies star Ja Morant and defensive leader Marcus Smart are both expected back in the lineup, Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins said on Thursday. Morant has missed the last three preseason games while dealing with ankle soreness. Smart has been held out of the previous two matchups after dealing with a knee contusion.
Memphis will play the Heat at FedExForum to wrap up their five-game preseason slate.
Although Smart and Morant will be back, the projected starting lineup still isn’t complete. Jaren Jackson Jr. will remain out due to a hamstring injury. Jackson first suffered the injury during the team's first practice in Nashville two weeks ago. Jenkins described the injury as a "low-grade hamstring strain."
The plan is still for Jackson to be available for the season opener on Wednesday versus the Utah Jazz. He’ll go through two days of what Jenkins described as “high exposure” activities, which will include full court work that will test out his hamstring.
“If that all goes well, we should be on track,” Jenkins said. “So we’ll just kind of evaluate after those two sessions.”
Cam Spencer, GG Jackson, Luke Kennard and Vince Williams Jr. are among the players who aren’t expected to be available for the season opener.
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Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at damichael.cole@commercialappeal.com . Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Memphis Grizzlies reveal plans for Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr. in preseason finale
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