Morant says he played last 4 games with fractured thumb

Memphis Grizzlies rookie Ja Morant said after Saturday's Western Conference play-in loss to the Portland Trail Blazers that he played the last four games of the season with a significant injury.

"Since the (Toronto) Raptors game, I was out there playing with a fractured thumb," Morant said postgame. "I mean, I'm going to give it my all regardless ... I never give up."

Morant was wearing a brace on his right hand after Saturday's game. He scored 35 points on 13-of-28 shooting.

He goes into the offseason as the odds-on favorite to win the Rookie of the Year Award, and he said the Grizzlies' overachieving to some degree this season sets him up well going forward.

"Obviously now, you know I feel like I kind of know what it takes to make it," he said. "I learned a lot through the amount of games I played this whole season. People try to put a lot of pressure on me, but I'm a rookie. I just turned 21 a couple of days ago. At this point, I'm still learning, but I have the right guys around me ... I felt like I got better as the season went on."