The Grizzlies continue to be without starting center Steven Adams, who has not played since late January.
Adams sustained a knee injury back on Jan. 22 in a loss to the Suns. Following that loss, the Grizzlies were 31-15 and in second place in the Western Conference.
Although the Grizzlies are still sitting at No. 2 in the West standings, they have gone just 20-15 since Adams went out, including a nine-game stretch without leading scorer Ja Morant following an off-court gun incident.
While the Grizzlies are now rounding into form with Morant back in the starting lineup, the loss of Adams undoubtedly hurts a Memphis team hoping to make a deep playoff run.
Here is the latest news on his injury along with an updated timeline for his potential return.
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What is Steven Adams' injury?
After sustaining the knee injury on Jan. 22, Adams was seen limping as he left the locker room following the loss to the Suns. He was later officially diagnosed with a PCL sprain.
The PCL is the strongest ligament of the knee and one of the four main stabilizing ligaments of this joint. The PCL connects the femur to the tibia in the middle of the knee joint.
How long will Steven Adams be out?
On April 8, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Adams will likely miss the entirety of the 2023 NBA Playoffs.
ESPN Sources: Memphis Grizzlies center Steven Adams is likely to miss the postseason with his injured right knee. Adams, who underwent a stem cell injection a month ago, has been out with a PCL sprain since late January. pic.twitter.com/VtMnKhlHFq
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 8, 2023
On Jan. 25, the Grizzlies initially ruled Adams out for three to five weeks. Then, on March 9, the Grizzlies announced that Adams underwent a stem cell injection and would be out an additional four weeks.
Memphis went 28-14 with Adams during the regular season.
Steven Adams stats this season
Adams' presence in the paint played a huge factor in the Grizzlies' success this season, with the Kiwi leading the NBA in offensive rebounds per game (5.1) and averaging a career-high 11.5 rebounds per game in just 27.0 minutes. He also averaged 8.6 points per game while shooting an efficient 59.7 percent from the field.
In addition to Adams, the Grizzlies are also dealing with the loss of Brandon Clarke, who tore his Achilles in early March and is now out for the season. Without Adams and Clarke, the Grizzlies have relied more heavily on All-Star Jaren Jackson Jr. and Xavier Tillman.
Grizzlies upcoming schedule
The Grizzlies will play their final game of the season on Sunday afternoon against the Thunder.
| Date | Opponent | Time (ET) |
| April 9 | at Thunder | 3:30 p.m. |
Steven Adams career stats, highlights
- 9.2 points per game
- 8.2 rebounds per game
- 1.5 assists per game
- 0.9 steals per game
- 1.0 blocks per game
- 26.8 minutes per game
- 58.7 percent field goal shooting
