Grizzlies Outmuscle Short-Handed Mavericks with a Gritty Win
The Dallas Mavericks walked into their home game against Memphis on Saturday night shorthanded and scrapping, and despite stretches of resilient defense, second-chance points and rebounding woes ultimately sealed their fate in a 102–96 loss to the Grizzlies. From the opening tip, it was clear this matchup would be tight. The first half featured more than ten lead changes, with neither team creating meaningful separation. Dallas, missing key rotation players Anthony Davis, D’Angelo Russell, and Dereck Lively II due to injuries, relied heavily on grit and defensive activity just to stay afloat.
Memphis, however, set the tone on the glass early. By halftime, the Grizzlies held a dominant 31–20 rebounding advantage and had piled up more than 17 second-chance points, a margin that repeatedly erased strong defensive possessions by the Mavericks. Still, Dallas found ways to respond. Their five first-half blocks helped limit Memphis’ scoring bursts, and Klay Thompson’s hot shooting kept them in striking distance. Thompson led the team at the break with 14 points, hitting four of six from beyond the arc and providing much-needed stability for a banged-up roster.
Even with costly turnovers feeding Memphis extra opportunities, the Mavericks managed to enter the third quarter with a slim four-point lead. The tide shifted quickly. Rookie Cooper Flagg, who entered the night averaging eighteen points over his last six games, struggled to find his rhythm early in the second half, opening the third quarter just one-for-six from the floor. Memphis capitalized, building a five-point lead as Dallas’ offense sputtered. Flagg eventually delivered the spark the Mavericks desperately needed. With three minutes left in the third, he turned a huge defensive stop into a momentum-shifting dunk, igniting renewed energy on both ends. Dallas leaned into its defense, generating steals, blocks, and forced shots to counterbalance the shooting drought. Naji Marshall delivered meaningful minutes off the bench, contributing key buckets and defensive stands to keep the game within reach.
The Grizzlies continued to punish Dallas on the boards. By the end of the third quarter, Memphis had amassed twenty-three second-chance points on a staggering twenty offensive rebounds, production that repeatedly cushioned their lead. In the fourth, Flagg embodied the Mavericks’ resilience, refusing to give up on plays and attacking the rim with more confidence. His defensive pressure and improved finishing kept Dallas close in the closing minutes. The deciding moment came on yet another offensive rebound. With the Mavericks within one possession of tying the game, a crucial board by Zach Edey prevented Dallas from gaining the final look it needed. Memphis closed it out from there, securing the 102–96 win. Shorthanded or not, the Mavericks showed heart. The game was defined by effort plays, and Memphis simply made more of them, especially on the glass. Dallas now turns its attention to regrouping, getting healthy, and correcting the rebounding issues that cost them a winnable matchup.
