‘Double-Header’: Mavs vs. Grizzlies Without Ja Morant - Playoff Prep?
Following a 113-106 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday, the Dallas Mavericks head into a home-and-home matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies, starting on Saturday night on the road.
Since the Kyrie Irving trade, the Mavs holds a 5-7 record, which can be seen as disappointing but all seven losses are by single digits and several could have went Dallas' way down the stretch.
Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic and his left thigh injury leaves his status for the upcoming matchups with the Grizzlies in limbo, which doesn't bode well for Dallas who has fallen from the No. 5 seed to the No. 8 seed in just the last two days and sits only 1.5 games ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers and New Orleans Pelicans.
For the Grizzlies, they've hit the toughest stretch of their season with Ja Morant's indefinite absence looming over the team after flashing a gun on his Instagram live on Saturday night, which will leave Memphis without their superstar for at least the next three games. Add in the losses of Steven Adams and Brandon Clarke for the remainder of the regular season and the Grizzlies look like a new bunch out there.
Since the Adams' absence began on Jan. 23 due to a PCL sprain, the Grizzlies have lost 11 of their last 19 games and the numbers speak volumes to his importance to their success.
Memphis is averaging eight less points per game and nine less rebounds in Adams' 19-game absence, while opponents are shooting a higher percentage from the floor and grabbing more rebounds per game without the Grizzlies big man.
Though fresh off a much-needed win on Thursday night against their rival, the Golden State Warriors, the Grizzlies face a tough test in the foreseeable future without Morant, Adams, and Clarke as their extended hold on the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference has vanished as the Sacramento Kings has jumped them in the standings.
With just a month left in the regular season, both the Mavericks and Grizzlies face uncertainty and questions heading into the postseason.
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