What does Ja Morant's latest injury update mean for the Grizzlies?

The Memphis Grizzlies entered last night's battle with the Western Conference top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder with a chance to snap their 10-game winning streak and gain some ground in the standings. However, the anticipated matchup was tainted by another plethora of injuries to the Grizzlies, leading to a 130-106 blowout victory for the Thunder.

Grizzlies superstar point guard Ja Morant suffered an AC Joint Sprain after a hit on a screen by New Orleans Pelicans center Daniel Theis in the Grizzlies' victory over the Pelicans Friday night. This injury followed Santi Aldama's sprained ankle suffered in their victory the night before against the Toronto Raptors.

Also, before the game against the Thunder, Zach Edey and Brandon Clarke were ruled out due to a concussion and knee soreness, respectively. Ja Morant's injury timeline was announced today ruling the Grizzlies' star is considered week-to-week with the shoulder injury.

With yet another somewhat lengthy injury timeline being added to the NBA's brightest star, what does it mean for the Grizzlies' tough stretch of games?

Lack of continuity

The NBA's 65-game threshold for awards will penalize the Grizzlies' superstar as he will likely miss more than 17 games after already missing 13 games before his latest injury timeline announcement. Along with Ja Morant's injury timeline, the Grizzlies will be without Santi Aldama and Marcus Smart in the foreseeable future for their recent injuries. Santi Aldma suffered an ankle sprain against the Toronto Raptors last Thursday, which will have him sidelined on a week-to-week timeline.

Marcus Smart suffered a partial tear of his right index finger in the Grizzlies' win over the Atlanta Hawks on December 21st that will have him to be re-evaluated in two weeks. The Grizzlies latest injury report looks a lot like last season's but all players are expected back this season, with most expected back sometime in January.

Ja Morant hasn't played more than five games in a row in two years leading to some questioning his durability. The Grizzlies need their best player to contend for a title but it could be worse. As frustrating as his latest injury is for him, the team, and the fanbase, he is expected back soon.

The team has proven to step up in his absence this season as evidenced by their 8-5 record without Morant this season, including a five-game winning streak before last night's loss in games he has missed. The Grizzlies won't be without their star for long but the team will need a string of games together by its primary rotation to be prepared for a potential playoff run.