#Grizzlies #Forward #Brandon #Clarke #Out #for #Season

On Friday night, Grizzlies reserve big man Brandon Clarke suffered a season-ending torn left Achilles in their loss to the Nuggets. This is devastating news for their team which has already lost Dillon Brooks and Ja Morant due to injuries.

Clarke was averaging 10 points, 5 rebounds and 1.3 assists per 19.5 minutes this season. Additionally, he shot a career-high 65 percent from the field.

1. Clarke suffered a torn left Achilles

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Memphis Grizzlies have announced Brandon Clarke has suffered a season-ending left Achilles tear during their 113-97 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Friday night. Clarke went down with an apparent non-contact lower leg injury during the opening quarter of play.

It's a devastating development for the Grizzlies, as Clarke has been an invaluable rotational piece and source of energy on both ends of the floor for Memphis. In four seasons with the team, Clarke is averaging 10.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game.

He boasts a career high shooting percentage (65.6%), which is his best mark ever. His athleticism, ability to rim run and jumpshot have made him an integral part of the Grizzlies frontcourt rotation alongside Steven Adams, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Santi Aldama.

Clarke suffered the injury while chasing down a rebound and fell awkwardly while trying to make free throws. He then jumped backwards, struggling with his leg until eventually limping off the court and being helped off the court.

It's difficult to estimate how long Clarke will be out. Typically, recovery from an Achilles tear takes around a year or longer. The Grizzlies are expected to find a replacement in free agency or through trade, but this will be a significant setback.

The Grizzlies are reportedly looking to add depth at the frontcourt, with David Roddy and Xavier Tillman likely seeing increased playing time as well. To replace Clarke's rim-running abilities in absence of Steven Adams - who is recovering from his ankle injury - they must figure out a replacement plan.

In October, Clarke inked a four-year, $50 million extension with the team. That marks an important milestone for him as he's had an exceptional year and been instrumental in helping Memphis reach the playoffs for the first time since 2012.

Clarke suffered his injury while attempting a free-throw in the opening quarter of the game. As he pursued it with his left foot, he stepped on it and immediately began grasping at his left leg as it started to cramp up. Soon after, members of Memphis coaching staff arrived on-court to rush Clarke off court in a golf cart with ice applied to his left Achilles tendon. He was later seen leaving Ball Arena in that golf cart with an apparent limp.

2. The Grizzlies announced his injury on Saturday

On Saturday afternoon, the Memphis Grizzlies officially announced that Clarke had suffered a season-ending left Achilles tear during their 113-97 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Friday night. This is an enormous setback for both the team and Clarke himself; he just signed a four-year, $50 million contract extension back in October.

At midcourt during the first quarter, Clarke began limping and fell after missing a free throw. He recoiled in pain and needed assistance getting off the court and into the locker room without bearing any weight on his leg.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reports that Clarke has been declared out for good. This season, the 26-year-old has averaged 10 points, 5 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 19.5 minutes per game for Memphis.

This is a major setback for the Memphis Grizzlies, who are currently in second place in the Western Conference. Although their offense has been strong this season, their depth at center position has been an issue. Now that Clarke has left, Memphis must find another veteran who can help keep their playoff hopes alive in the near future.

In the meantime, the Grizzlies must ensure Santi Aldama, Jake LaRavia and Xavier Tillman receive more playing time. They may even look into adding a young forward to their roster before the trade deadline.

Even if they can find a veteran to replace Clarke, this will take time away from their top two centers. Adams remains out of the starting lineup while Dillon Brooks has been sidelined with an ankle injury which has restricted his production.

Clarke was an essential rotational player, helping to establish Memphis' frontcourt depth behind Steven Adams and Jaren Jackson Jr. His offensive skillset, coupled with his physicality, made him a great option for fantasy managers to stash on their rosters.

He's averaging 10.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per game this season, shooting a career-high 66 percent from the field. After signing a four-year, $50 million deal with Memphis in October, he has become an important part of their offense ever since. Unfortunately, this news comes as a crushing disappointment to both him and their fans who had been rooting for them to make a deep run in this year's playoffs.

3. The Grizzlies have ruled Clarke out for the rest of the season

On Saturday, the Memphis Grizzlies announced that forward Brandon Clarke had suffered a torn left Achilles. Clarke has been an integral part of their bench scoring unit this season with 10 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game while signing a four-year, $52 million extension with them at this point.

Just days ago, the Memphis Grizzlies revealed that star point guard Ja Morant would be suspended for at least two games due to multiple off-court allegations. With such a deep roster, this news of Clarke's injury is an enormous blow and presents them with an immense challenge in the coming weeks.

Clarke has been one of the Grizzlies' more impressive players this season, averaging 10 points and 5.5 rebounds while shooting an incredible 65 percent from the field in just 58 minutes this campaign. Additionally, Clarke has shown great defensive poise as he ranks fourth in both steals and blocks for the NBA.

Losing Clarke for the remainder of the season is a tough blow, especially with the Grizzlies already facing an injury issue at center with Steven Adams (knee). Santi Aldama will receive more playing time at big man, while Xavier Tillman may get some action as well.

Despite losing Clarke, the Grizzlies have remained competitive in their current situation. They're tied for second place in the Western Conference with Sacramento Kings and will strive to build momentum moving forward.

With Clarke out, it's still possible for the Grizzlies to make the playoffs, but they must exercise caution. Furthermore, they need to find a replacement for their powerful forward Steven Adams who has been limited to only 16 games this season due to a knee injury.

The Grizzlies could potentially rely on their own young talent for most of their minutes, but it's likely they will need to turn to veteran free agents when searching for a next big man on their roster. Fortunately, there is plenty of quality talent available right now.

4. The Grizzlies will be without Clarke for a long time

Clarke has been an important piece for the Memphis Grizzlies this season and was in the midst of an impressive stretch. As a key rotation piece, he solidified Memphis' frontcourt depth behind Steven Adams (knee) and Jaren Jackson Jr. In four games since Adams' injury, Clarke averaged 13.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists in 22.5 minutes per game.

He's one of the few Grizzlies players to average double-digit fantasy points and shoot better than 60% from the field this season. Furthermore, he has played an integral role in two of their top lineups this year which have outscored opponents by 26.8 points per 100 possessions when playing together.

Unfortunately, the Grizzlies will be without Clarke for the remainder of this season due to his torn left Achilles in Friday's 113-97 loss against Denver. This news is devastating for Memphis, who have had an up and down season and currently sit one game ahead of Sacramento Kings in second place in the Western Conference.

His absence will further deplete the Grizzlies' already thin frontcourt. They will have no choice but to turn to Santi Aldama and Xavier Tillman as backup big men, though neither player has scored many points recently.

Clarke hasn't scored double figures in seven of his last 14 games since posting a 20-point, 10-rebound performance against the Lakers on January 20. On Thursday night against the Cavaliers, Clarke managed just 10 points (5-7 FG), three rebounds and one block across 21 minutes.

Though his overall production has decreased in the past month, Clarke remains a productive reserve player with 10.8 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists per 20.2 minutes over Memphis' last six games. With Steven Adams (knee) sidelined, Clarke could see increased playing time again during February and March.

Unfortunately, the Grizzlies won't have Clarke around for long; however, it's understandable why they took this step. Additionally, Dillon Brooks will miss one game due to reaching his limit of 15 technical fouls this season and Ja Morant has off-court issues which are keeping him from returning on the court.