Morant returns for Game 3 vs. Lakers, drops 45 in loss

Ja Morant returned to the Memphis Grizzlies' starting lineup for Saturday's Game 3 tilt against the Los Angeles Lakers after missing Game 2 with a hand injury.

The high-flying star registered a game-high 45 points and kept Memphis within striking distance late after the team fell behind early with a nine-point first quarter. Despite the Grizzlies entering the fourth down 20, Morant poured in 24 points in the final frame alone and helped cut the deficit to single digits, but Memphis ultimately fell short, 111-101.

The 23-year-old, who went 13-of-26 from the floor and 6-of-10 from deep, also contributed 13 assists and nine rebounds in his return.

Morant missed the Grizzlies' Game 2 victory after suffering a soft tissue bruise in his hand late in the series opener on a hard fall.

The point guard played 30 minutes in Game 1 before exiting, putting up 18 points, six rebounds, and two assists in the 128-112 loss.

The other Grizzlies stepped up in Morant's absence in Game 2, earning a 103-93 win on the strength of a career-high 22 points from Xavier Tillman.

Morant picked up his second straight All-Star nod this season, averaging 26.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 8.1 assists per contest for the 2-seed Grizzlies.