Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving Unable to Lead Mavs in Loss Against Shorthanded Grizzlies
DALLAS — In continuation of a seven-game homestand, the Dallas Mavericks produced a flat performance, losing 120-103 to the Memphis Grizzlies. Despite Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. headlining a lengthy injury report for the Grizzlies, the Mavs could not take care of business, dropping to 22-16 on the season, while Memphis improved to 14-23.
Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving scored over 30 points for the second consecutive game. Doncic totaled 31 points, six rebounds, six assists, and three steals overall, while Irving had 33 points, eight rebounds, four assists, four blocks, and one block. Those contributions proved insufficient to control the game despite its early success.
"Energy was flat. We tried everybody. We just couldn't find any energy," Mavs coach Jason Kidd said. "We got it to [nine points] tonight. I think we started to get a little energy, and then it blew back up to 16 quickly. The energy from the start, we kind of walked into this, and they hit us, and we just could never respond."
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Doncic opened the game toying with the Grizzlies' defense, connecting with Dwight Powell on a late lob followed by a step-back 3-pointer. Kyrie Irving got in on the action, hitting three short-range pull-ups between pick-and-roll, isolation, and post-ups. Dallas began with a 15-9 lead. Dallas' early rhythm did not sustain.
The Grizzlies went on a run to take an 18-16 lead, never falling behind for the remainder of regulation. With a physical defensive approach, picking up Doncic early in possessions and getting into the ball, Memphis' momentum continued, growing its lead to 27-18 with 2:32 left in the opening quarter.
The Mavs briefly deployed Grant Williams as a small ball center to open the floor, resulting in Doncic getting to the rim for a finish. Williams' time on the floor was shortlived, logging only seven minutes, but he still was a -20 in plus-minus during his limited time on the court. Dallas tried going even smaller throughout the game in later points, proving to be a disadvantage.
"Looking at all the different combinations, small ball to smaller, didn't work," Kidd said. "Trying to find someone to give us a spark, which didn't happen tonight. Give Memphis credit. They came out and played hard."
The Mavs were consistently unable to turn things around, with Wiliams' time on the floor coinciding with a continued slide. Irving checked in for Doncic, with Memphis leading 27-20. The Grizzlies led by as many as 22 points in the first half, proving too much for Dallas to overcome in the second half.
There were some glimmers of hope for the Mavs after the break, but Dallas Irving hit a pull-up 3 and then got to the rim to make it a 12-point game, but the Grizzlies continued to have an answer. Smart converted from the perimeter to push Memphis up 18 at the 7:38 mark of the third quarter.
“Yeah, in certain possessions for sure. Costly mistakes. Timely mistakes. They capitalized on it," Irving said. "[They] beat us up on the boards tonight and got a few extra opportunities. ... You have to give them credit. .... They hit us in the mouth in the first quarter with 29 points and then 39 in the second. That was pretty much the game right there.”
Irving converted from beyond the arc to bring the Mavs within 11 points midway through the third period. Still, an inability to close a defensive possession prevented them from making it a single-figure game. Memphis went to the free throw line after drawing a shooting foul, making both attempts.
A dunk from Jaden Hardy in transition made it a 10-point game, but Bane immediately answered with a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer in transition. He followed it up with another, extending the Grizzlies' edge to 16 points late in the quarter.
Doncic, who went to the locker room a few times, played through an ankle issue throughout the game. He entered the game listed as probable with right ankle swelling after dealing with the injury over the past week. He checked into the game with 3:07 remaining in the third quarter, with Dallas down 91-77.
The Grizzlies' physicality continued to pose problems for the Mavs on both ends, resulting in unfavorable outcomes in the paint. On a night when Dallas was creating an uncharacteristically low perimeter shooting volume, the team could not use 3-point shooting prowess to overcompensate. Memphis led 103-83 entering the final period. The trend of not managing to get stops
Doncic tried to spark momentum for the Mavs early in the fourth quarter by attacking the paint, scoring six of the team's first 10 points of the period. With a continued inability to get defensive stops down the stretch, the closest Dallas came for the remainder of regulation was 13 points after Doncic made two free throws. Bot of Dallas' superstars checked out for the final time with 3:03 left to play.
A theme of inconsistency was on display for the Mavs, who had lost to an undermanned Grizzlies team the following game after defeating the top-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves in their previous performance.
"When you are aspiring to be at the top of the league and be respected as one of the best teams in the league, nights like this matter," Irving said. "You don’t want to hang your head for too long. But, obviously, playing the No. 1 team in the West and then playing against the Memphis Grizzlies, no disrespect to who they are, but we took our foot off the gas pedal, and they took advantage."
Aside from Doncic and Irving, the only double-figure scorers for the Mavs were Derrick Jones Jr. (11 points) and Jaden Hardy (10 points). Dallas shot an underwhelming 36-82 (43.9 percent) from the floor and 9-27 (33.3 percent) from the perimeter but went 22-27 (81.5 percent) from the free throw line.
Bane set the tone for the Grizzlies, scoring 32 points and adding nine rebounds and four assists. Smart, who was ruled out with a finger injury in the second half, managed to provide 23 points, four rebounds, and two steals in only 21 minutes. Memphis received double-figure scoring outings from Xavier Tillman (14 points), Ziaire Williams (14 points), Luke Kennard (14 points), and David Roddy (11 points).
A common problem the Mavs encountered was an inability to close possessions defensively with rebounds. Memphis hauled 18 offensive rebounds and held a 21-rebound advantage, proving instrumental in a 12-point edge in second-chance scoring. The Grizzlies shot more efficiently across the board, going 44-91 (48.4 percent) overall, 14-37 (37.8 percent) from 3-point range, and 18-21 (85.7 percent) on free throws. It was, overall, too much to overcome for Dallas.
"Big advantage. 18 offensive rebounds. That's way too many," Kidd said. "Physicality was too much for us. They came out and were assertive right off the bat, and that put us in a hole, and we were playing uphill from there."
Dereck Lively II (ankle sprain), Dante Exum (plantar sprain), and Maxi Kleber (toe dislocation) remained sidelined for the Mavs. Beyond not having Morant and Jackson, Memphis played without Steven Adams (knee surgery), Santi Aldama (knee contusion), and Brandon Clarke (Achilles surgery).
The Mavs return to action on Thursday when facing the New York Knicks, marking Jalen Brunson's first game at American Airlines Center since departing in free agency in 2022, barring any future injury.
