Grizzlies’ Ja Morant, Cedric Coward will play vs. Bucks

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The Memphis Grizzlies will have Ja Morant available against the Milwaukee Bucks, and that news shifted the outlook before tipoff. Cedric Coward has also been cleared, giving the Grizzlies back an important rotation wing, while the Bucks continue to play without Giannis Antetokounmpo, who remains sidelined with a right calf strain. The swing is clear: the Grizzlies gain reinforcements, while the Bucks enter the night without their centerpiece.

The Grizzlies are 14–16 and sit ninth in the West. The Bucks are 12–18 and 11th in the East. December basketball already feels like seeding math for both sides. According to Marc Stein of The Stein Line, Morant and Coward were upgraded from questionable to available, a decision that immediately raised the energy around the matchup.

Ja Morant had been dealing with a left ankle sprain, while Coward was managing left heel soreness. Both are now good to go. The Grizzlies still carry a long injury list. Brandon Clarke is out with a right calf strain. Zach Edey remains sidelined by a left ankle stress reaction. Ty Jerome is out with a right calf strain. John Konchar continues to recover from left thumb UCL surgery. Scotty Pippen Jr. is out following left great toe surgery. Vince Williams Jr. remains out with left patellar tendinitis. Lineups have been a nightly puzzle, and two returning pieces matter.

The Bucks’ injury report is significant as well. Giannis Antetokounmpo remains out with a right calf strain while Taurean Prince continues to recover from neck surgery and remains out. Alex Antetokounmpo is out on a G League two-way assignment.

What tonight asks from both the Grizzlies and Bucks

Without Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks will need shooting, pace, and balance in place of his usual downhill power. Their margin for error tightens. For Memphis, Ja Morant’s return brings speed, confidence, and rim pressure. Cedric Coward adds length and stability on the wing. Under the lights, with one team gaining and one team shorthanded, the fourth quarter will ask the same question of both groups: who finishes stronger when it matters most?

Grizzlies’ Ja Morant, Cedric Coward will play vs. Bucks

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