MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Shaking off the effects of a sprained right ankle, Ja Morant delivered an impressive 22 points and nine assists, propelling the Memphis Grizzlies to a 120-106 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night and securing their spot in the NBA playoffs.
Claiming the Western Conference’s eighth seed, Memphis is set to face top-seeded Oklahoma City in a best-of-seven series, starting Sunday on the Thunder’s home court. Morant, who had been injured earlier in the week during the play-in opener against Golden State, was a game-time decision for Friday’s showdown.
“The medical team kept things simple for me,” Morant said, revealing that his participation only became confirmed roughly 30 minutes prior to tipoff. “I was determined to get on the floor, get this win, and move forward.”
Jaren Jackson Jr. spearheaded the Grizzlies with 24 points, while Desmond Bane contributed an identical 22 points to the scoreboard.
Anthony Davis spearheaded the Mavericks with a standout 40 points and nine rebounds, despite suffering a right calf injury during the matchup. Though Davis briefly reentered the game following the injury, he was unable to finish and later rested in the locker room with his leg wrapped and iced. Understanding the win-or-go-home stakes, Davis battled through the pain in hopes of keeping Dallas’s playoff dreams alive.
“We had our moments,” Davis acknowledged. “It’s a tough one to swallow, though.”
During the third quarter, Memphis saw their 25-point halftime lead dwindle as the Mavericks executed a potent 27-12 run that spanned halftime, trimming the Grizzlies’ lead to single digits. However, Memphis regained control to enter the final quarter leading 96-80, preventing Dallas from rattling their momentum.
Securing their spot in the matchup against Memphis with a previous victory over Sacramento, Dallas failed to match Memphis’s intensity from the start, never once taking the lead at any point during the contest.
Zach Edey supported Memphis’s efforts with 15 points and 11 rebounds, while Scotty Pippen Jr. added 13 points.
Despite having lost all four regular-season bouts against Oklahoma City by significant margins, Jackson maintained that this playoff series presented a different challenge altogether.
“Each series is a new start,” Jackson remarked. “Keeping a level head is crucial, regardless of a single game’s outcome. It’s not over until it’s truly over.”
Like the Grizzlies, the Mavericks also faced late-season struggles, posting a 7-15 record since March 1. The team’s dynamics shifted dramatically following the trade that brought Davis to Dallas, sending Luka Doncic to the Lakers, and sidelining Kyrie Irving due to left knee surgery.
“It was an extraordinary season,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd remarked. “Despite trades and injuries, we ended up competing at this stage, which is commendable. Credit goes to the team.”