Kennard will return to the bench for Monday's game against the Timberwolves, Alan Horton of the Timberwolves Radio Network reports.
This is an expected move with Ja Morant (foot) returning from a one-game absence. Kennard fared well in his fill-in start Friday against the Spurs with 17 points, four assists, three rebounds and two three-pointers in 26 minutes.
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Grizzlies' Ja Morant: Available to play
Rotowire
Morant (foot) is available for Monday's game against the Timberwolves.
Morant missed Friday's game versus the Spurs, but he's all set to see his usual minutes Monday. Luke Kennard will likely shift back to the bench with this news. In Morant's last four appearances, he averaged 22.3 points, 5.8 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 2.0 steals.
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Grizzlies' Ja Morant: Upgraded to probable
Rotowire
Morant (foot) has been upgraded to probable for Monday's game against Minnesota.
Morant was previously listed as questionable after missing Friday's game versus the Spurs. He's trending in the right direction, however, and could get the green light if he makes it through warmups without any setbacks. If Morant does suit up, Luke Kennard will likely head back to the bench.
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Grizzlies' Ja Morant: Questionable for Monday
Rotowire
Morant (foot) is questionable for Monday's game against the Timberwolves.
Morant wasn't available in Friday's blowout win over the Spurs, and while he's listed as questionable, a decision on his status will be made closer to Monday's 2:30 p.m. tipoff. Luke Kennard and Scotty Pippen are candidates to see increased roles if Morant remains sidelined Monday.
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Grizzlies' Marcus Smart: Remains out
Rotowire
Smart (finger) is out for Monday's game against the Timberwolves.
Smart was tabbed as week-to-week on Jan. 10, and while the most recent update suggested that he was progressing well in his recovery, it seems he's not ready to return to the hardwood yet. Smart's next chance to play will come against the Hornets on Wednesday.
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Grizzlies' Zach Edey: Not listed on injury report
Rotowire
Edey (nose) is not on the injury report and will be available for Monday's game against the Timberwolves.
Edey exited Friday's win over the Spurs after receiving a blow to his nose, but the big man will be fine and should handle his regular workload Monday. Edey is averaging 4.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 0.7 blocks per game in seven contests since returning to the starting lineup on Jan. 4.
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Grizzlies' GG Jackson: Recalled to NBA
Rotowire
The Grizzlies recalled Jackson from the G League's Memphis Hustle on Sunday.
Jackson debuted for the Hustle on Wednesday, finishing with 18 points (5-16 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 5-6 FT), five rebounds, one assist and one block. He's still knocking off the rust and will need to get his conditioning up, but he could back in the rotation for the Grizzlies sooner rather than later.
Aldama finished Friday's 140-112 victory over the Spurs with 29 points (10-19 FG, 5-12 3Pt, 4-4 FT), eight rebounds, one assist and one steal over 30 minutes.
The Grizzlies destroyed the Spurs to the tune of a 28-point victory, and Aldama played a prominent role in the win. He logged 30 minutes despite not starting, as he was part of the main lineup once Zach Edey (nose) departed the contest. The Spaniard has scored at least 20 points in back-to-back games while scoring in double digits in four of his last five outings. His bench role limits his upside a bit, but he's a reliable performer in deep formats due to his ability to easily rack up stats.
Wells ended with 22 points (8-11 FG, 6-8 3Pt), three rebounds and two assists across 35 minutes during Friday's 140-112 victory over the Spurs.
From an efficiency perspective, Wells had one of his best performances of the season, as the rookie missed just three of his 11 shots while draining six threes, his second-best mark this season. Arguably, his most impressive sequence was a one-legged three-pointer over Victor Wembanyama, and he continued an outstanding stretch of play. Over eight games this month, Wells has scored in double digits five times while averaging 14.1 points per contest.
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Grizzlies' Desmond Bane: Excels in playmaking role
Rotowire
Bane totaled 22 points (10-17 FG, 2-6 3Pt), six rebounds, 14 assists and three steals across 33 minutes during Friday's 140-112 win over the Spurs.
The Grizzlies were without Ja Morant (foot) for this matchup Friday, and since Luke Kennard entered the starting unit as his replacement, it was Bane who ended up officiating as the primary playmaker -- and with excellent results. The 14 dimes represented a season-high mark for the former TCU star, extending his streak of games with at least 20 points to four appearances. Bane is averaging 22.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 6.4 assists and 1.9 steals per game over his last 10 contests.
Edey will not return to Friday's game against the Spurs due to an injury to his nose. He finished with four points (2-2 FG), four rebounds and one assist in seven minutes.
Edey took an elbow to the face, resulting in him bleeding profusely. The Grizzlies were quick to rule him out for the contest, though Memphis held a big lead at the time and may just have opted to shut him down for precautionary reasons. Edey totaled four points (2-2 FG), four rebounds and one assist in seven minutes prior to being ruled out.
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Grizzlies' Luke Kennard: Starting against San Antonio
Rotowire
Kennard will start against the Spurs on Friday, Paul Garcia of ProjectSpurs.com reports.
Ja Morant is sidelined by a foot sprain, so Kennard is likely to see plenty of usage Friday in what will be his first start of the season. Kennard has been shooting the lights out this season, hitting 46.4 percent from beyond the arc.
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Grizzlies' Ja Morant: Officially out Friday
Rotowire
Morant (foot) will not play Friday against the Spurs.
After originally carrying a questionable tag, Morant was later downgraded to doubtful during warmups. The Grizzlies ultimately decided to err on the side of caution, as coach Taylor Jenkins mentioned that Morant has been playing through this foot sprain for the past two games. Luke Kennard and Scotty Pippen are candidates for increased roles Friday.
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Grizzlies' Ja Morant: Unlikely to play
Rotowire
Morant (foot) is unlikely to play Friday against the Spurs, Drew Hill of The Daily Memphian reports.
Morant is still listed as questionable to play, but coach Taylor Jenkins didn't sound optimistic about his chances of suiting up. According to Jenkins, Morant has been playing through this sprain for a couple of games. Assuming Morant is out, guys like Scotty Pippen and Luke Kennard could see increased run.
Morant (foot) was present at shootaround ahead of Friday's game versus the Spurs, Michael Wallace of the Grizzlies' official site reports.
Morant is officially listed as questionable for Friday's game versus the Spurs due to right foot soreness. However, Morant's participation in shootaround is a good sign of his availability against San Antonio.
