Ja Morant overcame a sprained right ankle to score 22 points and dish out nine assists, leading the Memphis Grizzlies to a 120-106 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night, securing their spot in the NBA playoffs.
With this win, Memphis clinched the eighth seed in the Western Conference and will face the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder in a best-of-seven series starting Sunday on Oklahoma City’s home court.
Morant sustained the injury during Tuesday’s play-in game against Golden State, and his status for Friday was uncertain until shortly before the game. “The doctors gave me all the help I needed in simple terms,” said Morant. “I wanted to be on the floor. I wanted to play this game and get the win.”
Jaren Jackson Jr. led the Grizzlies with 24 points, while Desmond Bane also contributed 22 points. For Dallas, Anthony Davis had a stellar performance with 40 points and nine rebounds, and Klay Thompson added 18 points. However, Davis limped off in the fourth quarter with a possible right calf injury. Although he briefly returned to the game, he did not finish the contest and was seen in the locker room with his leg wrapped and iced. Despite the injury, Davis fought through the pain, knowing it was a must-win situation. “We had our chances. Obviously, a tough loss,” Davis commented.
Memphis had built a 25-point lead in the first half, but Dallas rallied in the third quarter with a 27-12 run, narrowing the gap to single digits midway through the period. The Grizzlies managed to extend their lead back to 96-80 going into the final quarter, and Dallas never made a serious push after that.
The Mavericks, who secured their spot in the matchup with Memphis after a 120-106 victory over Sacramento on Wednesday, lacked the same energy in this game and never led.
Zach Edey added 15 points and 11 rebounds for Memphis, while Scotty Pippen Jr. contributed 13 points.
Looking ahead, Memphis faces a tough challenge against Oklahoma City, having lost all four of their regular-season matchups with the Thunder, each by double digits. Jackson, however, remained focused on the bigger picture. “A series is a series,” he said. “You’ve got to stay level-headed. Whether you win a game or lose a game, it really doesn’t matter until it’s over.”
The Mavericks, like Memphis, struggled in the latter part of the season, finishing 7-15 since March 1. Along with their struggles, they also lost Kyrie Irving to knee surgery after trading Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis. Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd reflected on the season, saying, “An incredible season, but the change (trading Doncic for Davis) and injuries, some would say we shouldn’t even be there. So give those guys in that locker room a lot of credit.”