Why do NBA players in general use faceguards and why is Ja Morant wearing a face mask
The Grizzlies star’s new appearance is explained below.
Ja Morant has made his long-anticipated comeback. The NBA banned the erratic point guard for eight games earlier this month after he posted a picture of himself with a pistol on social media.
On Wednesday night against the Houston Rockets, Morant made his Memphis comeback after serving his suspension. On his comeback, Ja ended with 17 points and five assists as the Grizzlies defeated them 130-125. That was the first of back-to-back home games the Grizzlies played against the Houston Rockets (Friday 24 March).
Why is Ja Morant wearing a face mask and his injury update
STILL THAT DUDE @JaMorant pic.twitter.com/Mw3Cw6o7yT
— Memphis Grizzlies (@memgrizz) March 23, 2023
The NBA's injury report says Ja Morant will wear a face mask when the Grizzlies take on the Nuggets tonight after suffering a nasal fracture 🎭 pic.twitter.com/R41Fwz1AJP
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) March 3, 2023
Fans wondered why Ja Morant was wearing a face mask during the games since they observed nothing odd about the point guard. Ja’s most recent suspension has nothing to do with the face guard; instead, it is due to an injury he sustained earlier in the year.
During the game against the Rockets prior to his suspension, the former Rookie of the Year sustained a nasal fracture. On March 3 against the Denver Nuggets, the final game he played before the suspension, Ja Morant also wore the faceguard.
Why do NBA players wear face masks?
Some spectators questioned the need for facial masks for NBA players. Many well-known athletes have worn masks over the years, including Richard Hamilton, LeBron James, and Joel Embiid.
They are worn as a preventative step to safeguard against current wounds. Face masks are frequently used by players with broken noses or fractured cheeks during games to prevent further injury. Although they are not perfect and some may appear more attractive than others, they eventually allow the person to play rather than watch from the sidelines.
The return of Ja to the court
In preparation for the playoffs, the Grizzlies have recently clinched first place in the Southwest Division. With a 45-27 record, they are currently 3.5 games behind the Nuggets in first place in the Western Conference. Ja’s comeback is timely, and he intends to put the events that have a place behind him and focus on basketball.
This week, Morant remarked, “I’m fully sorry for it [his ban]. Therefore, as I stated, my new responsibility is to be more responsible and intelligent and to stop causing any of that. I sought counselling there to learn how to deal with stress. Avoid the negative coping mechanisms I’ve used in the past to deal with stress, which led to blunders.”