Ja Morant took over down the stretch, scoring the final seven points of the game as the Memphis Grizzlies secured a 122-111 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night. The win snapped Memphis’ four-game losing streak and strengthened its hold on fourth place in the Western Conference.
Morant finished with 31 points and eight assists, while Desmond Bane added 27 points and a career-high 16 rebounds for the Grizzlies. Memphis dominated inside, outscoring Dallas 74-38 in the paint while grabbing 17 offensive rebounds.
The Mavericks, playing without Kyrie Irving, suffered their fourth straight loss and dropped to .500 for the first time since mid-November. Brandon Williams came off the bench to score a career-high 31 points, while Naji Marshall contributed 29 points and 17 rebounds in a losing effort.
Dallas held a 111-104 lead with just over seven minutes remaining, but Memphis closed the game on an 18-4 run. The Mavericks managed just one field goal in the final stretch, struggling to find offensive rhythm against the Grizzlies’ defense.
Morant ignited the late surge with a layup at the 1:35 mark, followed by a jumper with a minute left. He sealed the win with a pull-up three-pointer in the final 30 seconds, capping off his 24-point second half.
The Grizzlies played their second straight game without Jaren Jackson Jr., who remains sidelined with an ankle injury. In his absence, Zach Edey stepped up with 13 rebounds, including 10 on the offensive glass.
Klay Thompson, in his second game with Dallas, scored 15 points but shot just 6-of-19 from the field. Caleb Martin made his Mavericks debut, finishing with two points, four rebounds, and three assists.
With the win, Memphis improved to 39-24 and holds a one-game lead over the Houston Rockets for fourth place in the West. Dallas, now 32-32, sits in 10th place, clinging to the final play-in tournament spot.
