The final score was 120-103, a respectable win in a game that most expected the Grizzlies to lose. A short-handed Memphis team put the clamps on a healthy Dallas squad, on their home floor no less, and snapped the Mavericks’ three-game winning streak.
It was the first game Memphis played since the news about Ja Morant’s season-ending torn labrum, and while this Grizzlies team was certainly feeling down, they didn’t show it on the court. Jaren Jackson Jr and Santi Aldama were also sidelined for Tuesday night’s game, both with knee soreness.
Let’s get into it.
Try as they might have, not even 30-point games from Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic could lift the Mavericks to a victory, nor could Dallas’s 21 points off of 17 Memphis turnovers.
In the absence of Morant and Jackson Jr, Desmond Bane and Marcus Smart stepped up. Bane scored a team-high 32 points and Smart shot a team-high 4 of 8 from beyond the arc.
The outcome of the rebounding battle has been a fairly accurate predictor of success for the Grizzlies this season and this game was no exception– the Grizzlies outrebounded the Mavericks 54-33.
For reference, Memphis is 0-21 when they have fewer rebounds than their opponent, and 13-1 when they have more.
In addition to winning the battle of the boards, the Grizzlies beat the Mavericks in three-point shooting (37.8% vs 33.3%), overall shooting (48.4% vs 43.9%), and assists (27 to 20).
Bane led the way with a team-high 32 points, plus 9 rebounds and 4 assists.
Marcus Smart closed out the night with 23 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 steals while shooting 4 of 8 from three-point range.
Luke Kennard put up 14 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists while shooting 3 of 4 from long range.
From the second unit:
Vince Williams Jr added 14 points and 4 rebounds.
Xavier Tillman Sr added 14 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 blocks.
David Roddy contributed 11 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists.
-manned, outnumbered, out-planned. That has been the story of the Memphis Grizzlies this season, and while a deep postseason run is likely not in the cards, neither is this team just lying down and admitting defeat.
Who Got Next?
After going 3-0 on their three-game road trip, the Grizzlies will return home for a three-game homestand starting with the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday, January 12th. Tip-off is at 7 PM CST.