Zach Edey, the Grizzlies’ star center who’s been a monster on the boards, is officially sidelined for Sunday night’s clash against the Sacramento Kings due to left ankle injury management. This is Edey’s first absence of the season, and it’s a gut punch as Memphis tries to extend their perfect start to the season.
The Streak Hits A Speed Bump
The Grizzlies are rolling right now, absolutely flawless out of the gate, and they just added another win to the books earlier this week against the Golden State Warriors. That Warriors game was a grind, though, not gonna lie. Golden State actually held a 12-point lead for a good chunk of it, but Memphis absolutely flipped the script in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Warriors 27-18 to pull off the victory. Edey was a key player in that comeback, so this injury could not come at a worse time.
Who Steps Up Without Edey?
Losing Edey leaves a massive hole in the Grizzlies’ lineup, no doubt about it. The guy might only be averaging seven points per game, but his 9.5 rebounds per contest are nearly chief on the entire team. Those scoring numbers are a bit lower because they’ve got other quality options, but that rebounding effort is just huge, a real tone-setter. Now, head coach Tuomas Iisalo has to dig deep into his bench. He’s got Isaiah Stewart and Quinten Post to pick from to fill those crucial minutes against the Kings.
Tip-off between the Grizzlies and Kings is set for 9:00 p.m. EST. Can Memphis keep their perfect record intact without one of their most important pieces? It’s gonna be a real test of this team’s depth and grit on the road.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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