The Memphis Grizzlies defeated the Dallas Mavericks 120-106, securing a spot in the first round of the NBA playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Despite dealing with a sprained right ankle, Grizzlies guard Ja Morant contributed 22 points and nine assists during the game at FedExForum.
Memphis clinched the eighth seed in the Western Conference and will face the top-seeded Thunder in a best-of-seven series starting Sunday at Oklahoma City.
Jaren Jackson Jr. was the leading scorer for Memphis with 24 points, while Desmond Bane added 22.
For Dallas, Anthony Davis scored 40 points and grabbed nine rebounds, and Klay Thompson contributed 18 points.
Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant drives to the basket during the third quarter against the Dallas Mavericks.
In the fourth quarter, Davis limped off the court with what seemed to be a right calf injury. He made a brief return but did not complete the game.
Afterward, he was seen in the locker room with his leg wrapped and an ice pack on it.
Davis mentioned that he attempted to push through the injury, understanding the importance of the game as a win-or-go-home scenario.
“We had our opportunities. It was definitely a tough loss,” Davis stated.
Meanwhile, Memphis watched their 25-point lead from the first half shrink during the third quarter, as the Mavericks went on a 27-12 run that cut their deficit to single digits midway through the period.
The Grizzlies stretched the lead back to 96-80 heading into the final quarter, and Dallas never threatened the rest of the way.
Dallas, which beat Sacramento 120-106 on Wednesday night to earn a spot against the Grizzlies, didn’t seem to have the same spark to start the game, never leading against Memphis.
Zach Edey contributed 15 points and 11 rebounds for Memphis, while Scotty Pippen Jr. added 13 points.
“A series is just a series,” Jackson stated. “You have to keep a clear mind.
Read also: Butler, Curry lead Warriors past Grizzlies 121-116 to secure seventh seed in West playoffs
Winning or losing a game doesn’t really matter until it’s all finished.” Similar to Memphis, the Mavericks struggled towards the end of the season, recording a 7-15 record since March 1.
“It’s been an amazing season, but with the changes (trading Doncic for AD) and injuries, some might argue we shouldn’t even be in this position,” said Mavericks coach Jason Kidd.
“So we should give a lot of credit to the guys in that locker room.”
In the first half of Miami’s NBA Play-In Tournament elimination game against Atlanta, Heat backup guard Davion Mitchell didn’t seem like a candidate to be a standout player.
He missed all four of his shots in the first half and only scored one point. By the end of the regulation, he had managed just seven points.
