The Dallas Mavericks concluded the 2024-25 NBA regular season with a Sunday matinee against the Memphis Grizzlies. The Mavericks have been feeling upbeat despite not being a top-six team in the Western Conference. The Mavericks lost to the Grizzlies in a 132-97 blowout at the FedExForum. Dallas fell to 39-43, while Memphis improved to 48-34.
Daniel Gafford led the Mavericks with 20 points, 7 rebounds, and 1 assist. Jaden Hardy followed up with 17 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists. Max Christie added 14 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists. Naji Marshall had 11 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists. Kai Jones scored 11 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 assists. Spencer Dinwiddie recorded 8 points, 2 rebounds, and 6 assists. Caleb Martin tallied 6 points and 3 assists.
Dallas Mavericks vs. Memphis Grizzlies Recap
The Dallas Mavericks ruled out Anthony Davis with a left adductor strain, Dereck Lively II with a right ankle stress fracture, Klay Thompson with a left foot sprain, Kyrie Irving with left knee surgery, Olivier-Maxence Prosper with right wrist surgery, and PJ Washington Jr. with a right ankle sprain. The Mavericks’ starting lineup featured Brandon Williams, Max Christie, Dante Exum, Naji Marshall, and Daniel Gafford.
The Memphis Grizzlies ruled out Brandon Clarke with a high-grade right PCL sprain, Jaylen Wells with a broken right wrist, facial laceration, and concussion, and Zyon Pullin with right patellar tendon surgery. The Grizzlies’ starting lineup featured Cam Spencer, Vince Williams Jr., Lamar Stevens, GG Jackson II, and Marvin Bagley III.
Both teams jumped out to a 4-4 tie early in the first quarter. Bagley II threw down an alley-oop dunk, while Gafford scored 11 first-quarter points. The Grizzlies led 38-28 after the first quarter. The Grizzlies’ offensive dominance continued in the second quarter. Stevens buried a three-pointer and covered his ears in a half-hearted attempt at the Ja Morant celebration. The Grizzlies took a 67-54 lead into halftime.
The Grizzlies controlled in the third quarter. Stevens threw down a one-handed dunk. The Grizzlies took a commanding 104-75 lead after three quarters. The Grizzlies stayed put in the fourth quarter after Bagley III notched a double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds. The Mavericks tried their best despite Williams suffering a left oblique strain in the first half. The Grizzlies won 132-97 in regulation.
Mavericks vs. Grizzlies Highlights
The Dallas Mavericks-Memphis Grizzlies game featured multiple highlights, such as the Mavericks fans’ loyalty to Luka Doncic. That was the one constant in Doncic’s first game in Dallas since the trade. Mavericks fan Jennifer Jolly-Peoples sported a homemade t-shirt with a Mavericks City Edition shirt with Doncic’s name and number on the right and a Lakers with his name and number on the left, while other Mavericks fans chanted “Fire Nico!”
For the Mavericks, acquiring All-NBA players, such as Phoenix Suns Forward Kevin Durant, can help the Mavericks’ goodwill. But CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn believes offering Lively II is needed as a hypothetical package of Thompson, Washington Jr., Jaden Hardy, and two first-round picks isn’t enough.
For the Grizzlies, Morant explained his grenade celebration. Morant, 25, said, “Listen, it’s not what you think it is … I’m taking my words, and I’m throwing them out there. I’m speaking Ja. I’m being Ja. I’m going to take my words, I’m going to throw them out there, and then I’m going to block out the noise. And that’s what I’m doing.
“So when you see me do that, that’s what I’m doing. I’m saying what I got to say to the world, and I’m blocking out the noise in the midst of what’s coming back my way. And that’s how it’s going to be.” Morant’s explanation made sense but will remain a talking point.
Final Thoughts
Davis and Lively II led the Dallas Mavericks’ 124-102 win vs. the Toronto Raptors at the American Airlines Center on Friday. Davis notched a triple-double with 23 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists. Lively II finished with 10 points and 11 rebounds in 18 minutes. That was a 3-minute increase in his playing time over the last few games since his return from a right ankle stress fracture.
Davis recorded 12 points on 6-12 shooting from the field along with 7 rebounds, 7 assists, and 6 blocks in the first half. It was the second-most blocks in a half in his career with the first-most being 7. Davis became the first player since 1996-97 to record that stat line in a half, per the Elias Sports Bureau.
Davis recorded 23 points on 10-of-18 shooting from the field and 2-2 from the free throw line along with 13 rebounds, 10 assists, and 7 blocks. Davis joined David Robinson and Nate Thurmond as the only players since 1973-74 — when blocks were first tracked — to post at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists, and 7 blocks.
Dallas-born, McKinney-bred Ja’Kobe Walter was destined to be in the NBA. Walter was named after Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant. Arguably the top two players of all time. Walter reportedly didn’t know about his connection to Jordan and Bryant until he played boys’ basketball at McKinney High School. A rookie guard for the Raptors, Walter’s stat line is 8.6 points in 21.2 minutes in 52 games this season.
Brandon Williams finally has a standard, two-year contract — and financial security. Williams has been paying his bills by signing multiple 10-day and two-way contracts. However, Williams’ celebrations were paused after he said he had to hit the ground running.
The Dallas Mavericks finished the regular season as the 10th seed in the Western Conference. The Mavericks’ Play-In Tournament opponent will be the ninth-seed Sacramento Kings. The Mavericks and Kings will face each other Wednesday night.
