(Photo: Getty Images via Washington Wizards)
Coming off of a season-high 27 minutes against the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday, Markieff Morris would still tell you that he is not where he wants to be over six weeks after surgery to repair his sports hernia. After playing more than half of the Dallas game, one would think that Morris was close to playing normal starter's minutes against Los Angeles or soon thereafter. Head coach Scott Brooks pumped the brakes on that theory during his pre-game availability, “it might take another week or two” to get things to click for Morris.
Three minutes into Thursday's contest against the Lakers, the power forward looked to the bench and called for a sub with what was later revealed to be a left knee injury. Morris went to the locker room, returned shortly thereafter to the Wizards bench, and then keep things loose on the team's stationary bicycle that Otto Porter Jr. used frequently last season. The good news was that Morris would return in the second quarter.
"His knee tightened up on him," Brooks shared post-game. "I don't know if it was--it hasn't bothered him. It just tightened up then he loosened it up and he was fine. Nothing going forward."
I would not be so quick to dismiss the injury as Morris had the knee heavily iced during the fourth quarter when he did not play a single minute, partially because of the large lead for the home team. Morris was also tended to by three doctors after the game before hitting the showers.
“It feels better, it just locked up a little bit," Morris explained. "One of those things that has never happened before, but me trying to recover and it just put a lot on my legs.”
The most discouraging injury Morris is still dealing with is a sprained left ankle he suffered against the Boston Celtics in May, six months ago, when Al Horford did not give him space to land on a jump shot on an arguably dirty close out. Morris joked that he had five MRIs, 20 x-rays, and 17 cat scans on the ankle, but surgery is not needed despite it remaining an annoyance.
"The ankle is still a little sore from Boston, so I’m still kind of getting back from that and taking time with this hernia injury,” Morris said.
Morris is not sure when he will be back to his old self, not necessarily 100 percent given these lingering injuries, but hopes it happens in the next could days. The biggest thing he feels he is still missing is the lack of exploding movement the way he hopes to.
"No worries though, I'll be alright," Morris reassured with a smile on his face.
Despite the three different injuries Morris was playing with on Thursday, the former trade acquisition had his best game of his young season. Morris scored 16 points on 6 of 7 shooting including 2 of 2 from deep to go along with five rebounds. That kind of efficiency in just 17 minutes from probably their fourth best player offensively is what makes Washington so potent.
“I was stiff as hell when I hit those threes, man. I guess I prayed on them," Morris said.
John Wall is also encouraged to see another one of his weapons progressing.
“He’s getting into a rhythm," Wall began. "He had his surgery. He’s dealing with his ankle still. I think just be able to come out there and be comfortable, being able to see some shots go into the basket. It’s kinda tough when you first try and come back from injury, your shots are a little short. He’s been putting in the work and I’m glad to see it paid off tonight."