The Memphis Grizzlies have managed to position themselves in the mix for the second seed in the Western Conference, all while having the most combined missed games among players on their roster, several of which have been by Ja Morant.

Ja Morant posted a cryptic picture of himself on Instagram after the Grizzlies ruled him out against the Thunder.

Ja Morant diagnosed with right AC joint sprain injury, which occurred during the Grizzlies' game against the Pelicans on December 27.

Grizzlies star Ja Morant scored a team-high 31 points in the loss, but these games have been highly competitive between the two teams, which have split the last 10 games 5-5 apiece. Morant has missed the last four game with an AC joint sprain.

Ja Morant’s status is considered “week-to-week” with what the Grizzlies are now calling a Grade 1 AC joint sprain in his right shoulder, the team announced in a medical update Monday evening. Never miss an article. Sign up to receive Chris Herrington's stories as they’re published.

Still, losing Morant will be a key test for the Grizzlies (22-11, second in the Western Conference). Over the next week, they play the Suns (15-16, 11th in Western Conference), Kings (13-19, 12th in Western Conference) and Warriors (16-15, ninth in Western Conference) on the road and the Mavericks (20-12, fourth in Western Conference) at home.

Led by star point guards Ja Morant and Steph Curry, the Memphis Grizzlies and Golden State Warriors have had one of the better Western Conference rivalries in r

The Memphis Grizzlies star is out with a Grade 1 AC joint sprain in his right shoulder after he went down in Friday’s win over the New Orleans Pelicans, the team confirmed on Monday night. There is no timetable for his return, though Morant is now considered “week-to-week.”

Memphis Grizzlies star Ja Morant is one of the NBA’s best point guards when healthy, but availability has been a real issue the last two seasons. Playing just nine games last season, Morant began the year with a 25-game suspension.